According to Science and Technology Daily on August 13, a research team from Harvard University in the United States has developed an artificial bionic leaf. It is said that the device can “eat” carbon dioxide and produce bioethanol, which is 10 times more efficient than natural photosynthesis. If promoted, it will be able to alleviate global warming and energy shortage problems to a certain extent.
Whether it is a leaf, a piece of grass, or a single algae cell, it can convert water and carbon dioxide into organic matter and release oxygen through photosynthesis under sunlight. Now, with the help of new technologies, scientists have not only reproduced this process artificially, but also exceeded the efficiency of natural leaves.
Harvard University chemist Daniel Nocera and his team teamed up with Harvard Medical School biologist Pamela Silver’s team to create a magical “living battery.” This device, which they call a bionic leaf, can use electricity provided by solar panels to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen. Microorganisms in the system feed on hydrogen and convert carbon dioxide in the air into biofuels.
It is reported that the team built the first artificial photosynthesis equipment in 2015, which can produce 216 mg of ethanol using 1 liter of water. However, the nickel-molybdenum-zinc catalyst used in this system may produce certain side effects after participating in the chemical reaction, poisoning the microorganisms participating in the reaction, thus affecting subsequent processes. So they’re always looking for better catalysts.
In a recent paper published in the journal Science, researchers describe a cobalt-phosphorus alloy that has been used as an anti-corrosion coating in the processing of plastic and metal parts. With the help of this new catalyst, researchers have improved and upgraded the bionic leaf, increasing its efficiency in producing ethanol by more than 10%. It is said that per kilowatt-hour of electricity, the upgraded version of the bionic leaf can digest 130 grams of carbon dioxide and produce 60 grams of isopropyl alcohol fuel. This conversion efficiency is about 10 times more than photosynthesis in nature.
Nocera said that by consuming carbon dioxide in the air to produce fuel, the new bioreactor technology can not only help alleviate the problem of global warming, but also produce cleaner energy and solve the problem of energy shortage, which can be described as killing two birds with one stone. In order to facilitate commercial promotion, they will further optimize the technology.
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