Researchers split water with sunlight for cheaper renewable energy

by William Atkins

Wednesday, 20 August 2008

Page 2 of 3 These researchers have successfully split water into hydrogen and oxygen by copying the process used by plants to make carbohydrates, a process we humans call photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, plants convert energy from the Sun into chemical energy. Light (radiation from the Sun) is added to atmospheric carbon dioxide in order to eventually produce water and oxygen, along with carbohydrates (such as starch, sucrose, and glucose). The research team, however, alters the process just a bit so that instead of making carbohydrates (as with plants) they make hydrogen and oxygen. The process, in essence, oxidizes water to generate protons and electrons that are then converted into hydrogen gas. The process devised by the Australian-led team consists of an electrode coated with a proton conductor. The electrode is then impregnated with a type of manganese, which in nature is found in manganese clusters by which plants use to naturally make carbohydrates from water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. Generally, a manganese cluster, or cubane, is a cluster of four manganese atoms bridged by oxygen atoms, According to the ABC Science article “Hydrogen harvested using nature's recipe,” “The system uses manufactured copies of these manganese clusters, known as cubanes, which were developed by co-author Princetown University Professor of Chemistry Charles Dismukes.” In ScienceDaily.com Spiccia is quoted: "A manganese cluster is central to a plant's ability to use water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to make carbohydrates and oxygen. Man-made mimics of this cluster were developed by Professor Charles Dismukes some time ago, and we've taken it a step further, harnessing the ability of these molecules to convert water into its component elements, oxygen and hydrogen.” [ScienceDaily.com: “Key Photosynthesis Step Replicated: Scientists Learn From Nature To Split Water Into Hydrogen And Oxygen”]   Please continue to page three. << First page <   1 2 3 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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