Artificial leaf uses bacteria to generate liquid fuel
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029881
Los Angeles Times : Over the past several years, researchers led by Daniel Nocera of Harvard University have been working on a device that uses sunlight to split water and create fuel. Called the artificial leaf, it consists of a semiconductor wafer coated in a catalyst. When dropped in water and exposed to sunlight, the leaf causes the water molecules to split, creating hydrogen gas. Recently the researchers introduced a new element, bacteria, which draw carbon dioxide from the air and combine it with the hydrogen to generate biomass. Not only does the artificial photosynthetic process create green energy, but it could also help reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. The researchers say they are next going to use the artificial leaf to try to convert atmospheric nitrogen into fertilizers.
