ARTIFICIAL LEAF

ABSTRACT:

Fuel cell technology is the major advancement in chemical engineering. This technology is a solution to the alarming rate at which air pollution is increasing. Fuel cells technologies face one basic and important problem the generation of its fuel i.e., hydrogen. A novel solution to the above problem is through artificial leaf.

Artificial leaf as the name suggests mimics the process followed by leaf to generate energy and produce oxygen i.e., the photosynthesis. This biomimicry is followed by the artificial leaf until the production of hydrogen. Artificial leaf consists of two electrodes a photoanode and a photocathode, separated by a membrane. Photoanode absorbs light and oxidizes water into oxygen, protons(H+ ions) and electrons. These protons and electrons after passing through the membrane recombine in the photocathode to generate hydrogen. The hydrogen so generated can be used for immediate purposes using fuel cell technology. Another important way the hydrogen can be used is that it can be stored for future purposes. The energy stored in the form of hydrogen is leak proof (i.e., the energy is never lost) for several years.

Researchers from Monash University in Melbourne have made a design which could function at an efficiency of 22% that is higher

than the design made by researchers in CalTech University. The progress achieved is commendable yet it is not financially viable .The artificial leaf-way of splitting water electrochemically to generate hydrogen can be the future replacement for fossil fuels.

Keywords:

Air pollution; fuel; hydrogen; biomimicry; photoanodes; photocathodes; membrane; storage ; leak proof; electrochemically; fossil fuels.

References:

http://spectrum.ieee.org/

http://www.caltech.edu/

https://en. wikipedia .org/