A new solar fuel production system, or artificial leaf, safely produces fuel from sunlight and water while achieving the highest efficiency and stability in the world.
[Translation by Dr. Nachmani Moshe]
The production and storage of renewable energy, such as solar energy or energy from the wind, are a major barrier to achieving an economy based on clean energy. Researchers from the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis (JCAP) from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have one main goal: the development of an economical method of producing fuel using only sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, a method that mimics the natural process of photosynthesis that occurs in plants and allows chemical energy storage For use on demand. Over the past five years, researchers from the joint center have made significant progress toward achieving this goal, and now report the development of the first complete, efficient, safe, and integrated system based on solar energy to split water to create hydrogen fuel.
The new solar fuel production system, or artificial leaf, is described in the online version of the scientific journal Energy and Environmental Science. The modern system consists of three main components: two electrodes, one a photocathode and the other a photoanode, and a membrane (membrane). The photoanode uses the sun's rays to oxidize water molecules, creating protons and electrons, as well as oxygen gas. The photocathode recombines the protons and electrons to form hydrogen gas. The key component of the new system is the plastic membrane, which keeps the gases oxygen and hydrogen separated from each other. If these two gases mix and are accidentally exposed to a source of ignition, an explosion may occur; The membrane allows the hydrogen gas to accumulate separately under pressure and flow it safely into a pipeline.
Semiconductors such as silicon or gallium arsenide absorb sunlight effectively and are therefore common in solar panels. At the same time, these materials oxidize (or rust) in contact with water when they are on the outer surface of the solar panel, so they cannot be used directly to generate electricity. Real progress occurred when the researchers built on a previous discovery that demonstrated that adding a nanometer layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) - a substance found in white paint, toothpastes and suntan lotion - on top of the electrode could prevent them from rusting and still allow the passage of electrons through them. Another key advance lies in the use of cheap active catalysts to produce the fuel. The photoanode requires a catalyst that accelerates the vital splitting reaction of the water molecule.
Rare and expensive metals, such as platinum, may be used as effective catalysts, but in this study the scientists discovered that a much cheaper active catalyst can be created by adding a thin nanometric layer (2 nanometers thick) of nickel to the surface of the titanium dioxide. This catalyst is one of the most effective catalysts for performing the splitting reaction of water molecules. Also in the photocathode is a highly active and cheap catalyst consisting of nickel-molybdenum, so that an integrated and complete material is obtained that functions as an integrated water splitting system based on solar energy.
The prototype system is a square centimeter in size and is capable of converting 10 percent of the sun's rays into energy stored as chemical fuel, and it can operate continuously for more than forty hours. "Our new system achieves all the safety, performance and stability benchmarks for artificial leaf technologies by factors of 10-5 or even more," notes the lead researcher.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
- Storing electricity at home - a solution for electricity consumption during peak hours and regulating the electricity generated from alternative energies
- The sun and the wind will provide the cheapest energy in the future
- Nano electronic components as a basis for renewable energy
- A wireless device for converting "wasted" energy into electric current
14 תגובות
An answer to the original questions of the "Tam question" can get the discussion back on track
pavilion
Can you tell me what the article is about?
Can you tell me how the topic of the article is related to the responses of the censored?
Can you tell me how to call the commenter "a bad commentator who only expresses opinions" relevant to the article?
If all the censor drew from the article was the conclusion that the development "can eliminate Muslim wealth and eliminate their murderous terrorism", apparently the scientific achievement does not really interest him.
The introduction of politics and slander, beyond being childish, is in no way relevant to the article and I am guessing that his only purpose in this response is to inflame spirits and be at the center of an emotional and irrelevant discussion. This is the definition of a troll.
The only commenter here who responded objectively to the article: Tam's question, is also the only one who did not respond (because of annoying comments).
So "Tam's question", accept my apologies for feeding trolls instead of answering you.
Your questions:
1. I won't delve into the thermodynamics but, a real plant leaf requires at least 8 photons of light of a suitable wavelength, in order to activate one CO2 molecule. The energy ratio between turning a mole of CO2 into a mole of glucose and the energy in the required amount of photons is 1:3. The intention is that under optimal conditions, the utilization of solar energy in a leaf is 33%. Since sunlight contains several wavelengths, and these can also be used for photosynthesis, the energy efficiency is closer to 11%
Outside the laboratory, where there is always a shortage of raw materials/water/light/CO2/appropriate temperature, the utilization is even lower and closer to a few percent.
2. The news you hear is mostly about theoretical successes at the proof of concept level. From here to making the developments practical there is still a long way to go.
I am guessing that the main barrier is the high cost of producing complex materials with high solar energy utilization capability, the ability to produce them on a commercial scale and shelf life.
A visit to the Arava farm will show you that even now, it pays, in certain cases, to purchase solar panels in order to ease the burden of electricity consumption.
Strong
"A troll is someone who responds with an irrelevant response that is in no way related to the topic of the article in order to inflame spirits and create a heated discussion that is at the center of it."
I mean you call yourself a troll...
The censored expressed his opinion (accepted by others in this article) briefly - and you attacked him with the aim of gnawing at him.
Instead of referring to the article, you are spouting your political beliefs and hatreds. And when he responds to you about the matter, you say that he is not referring to the article.
You put yourself in the center of the article and demand others not to do so... You are a strange and delusional troll.
A troll is someone who responds with an irrelevant response that is in no way related to the topic of the article in order to inflame spirits and create a heated discussion that is at the center of it.
If someone chooses an article that deals with the development of solar energy utilization in order to flatten his political beliefs and hatreds, he is probably a troll.
To be sure, he has no real interest in the subject of the article.
Again it is not related but Iran is a scientific power.
"On the other hand, it seems that Daesh pushed the US to make an alliance of interests with Iran that does not strengthen Israel's interests" - the US is responsible for the Arab Spring and also pushed for the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt (which fortunately were overthrown).
The Muslim Brotherhood supports Iran, because they support Islamic unity - that's why they are called "brothers".
That is why Turkey also supports Iran. And the US started getting closer to Iran in 2010, back in the days of Ahmadinejad. The question is why? Because Obama himself is from the Muslim Brotherhood and his advisers are also (in a statement).
You don't know history and a bad commentator. You are just expressing opinions. So who is the troll here?
Good morning Ofer
I think that the self-proclaimed organization "the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" would not have arisen if it were not for the civil war in Syria.
I think that the fact that he derives his strength especially from areas that were affected by the "Arab Spring" says Darshani.
I think that in some kind of morbid vicious circle, Daesh is responsible for the multitudes of refugees flocking to Europe and at the same time for the mass influx of (former) European immigrants to join its ranks through Turkey.
I have no idea if all the political changes are good or not, but I don't think there is any debate about their truth.
On the one hand, continuous bloodletting of our enemies weakens them
On the other hand, it seems that ISIS pushed the US to enter into an alliance of interests with Iran that does not strengthen Israel's interests
In addition, the influx of refugees is changing the face of the European Union (in my opinion not for the better).
I do not have sufficient historical/political knowledge to have a considered opinion on these issues. My personal opinion is that in the long run they will not be in our favor.
And all this is still not related to the topic of the article..
Eitan, "...it doesn't matter that the collapse of unimportant Arab countries brought Daesh..."
Although it is really not relevant to the site and its content, this premise (which, by chance or not, you brought up here as a settled fact and an indisputable truth) is not acceptable to me and many other good people. If you have already brought it up then the words should be said.
Tham
It doesn't matter if you agree.
It doesn't matter if the US, Russia and China produce more oil than all the Gulf countries and will lose more from the development of green energies.
It doesn't matter that the collapse of unimportant Arab countries brought about IS and the destabilization of Europe by waves of refugees who will soon become citizens and influence European anti-Israeli policy even more than it is now, therefore it is assumed that the destabilization of more important countries will lead to greater and less predictable changes.
The only thing that changes is that the article deals with scientific development and whoever tries to force her to agree with his political beliefs or with his private hatred is a troll and his place is in Ynet's comment column.
Sorry, but I actually agree with the censored, while the western world is developing and progressing thanks to creative thinking and thanks to knowledge and science and the development of modern technologies, the Arab countries and the Islamic countries (first of all Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries) derive most of their power and support for terrorism from the abundant oil they possess, when the world will switch to green technologies and even One will no longer need their oil, it will cause them to collapse (amen and amen) and the world will probably be much better.
Today, unfortunately, they still hold the world and the powers by the balls# and it's time to put an end to it.
Israel can be a powerhouse in the field of green energy.
I will again ask not to feed the troll despite the temptation.
Well done, it could nullify Muslim wealth and nullify their murderous terror
1. "The prototype system is a square centimeter in size and is able to convert 10 percent of the sun's rays into energy stored as chemical fuel"
For comparison, what is the conversion rate (in percentages) of a real plant leaf?
2. We hear news every now and then about breakthroughs in the field of solar energy, when will this method reach the price/efficiency level of oil and gas and be able to replace them as a main source of energy?