Energy Crisis Solution: Development of Artificial Leaf

In every era, the scientists and researchers always remained busy to find the new and novel sources of energy.  it is the need of every time. The lust for energy started when the human first discovered “fire.” He was very happy from his discovery. With the passage of time, as the human mind developed, he always tried to seek the best sources of energy. Today, the scientists are busy in finding the alternative sources of energy other than fossil fuels etc. They are busy in finding the renewable sources of energy.

In Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the researchers and scholars have found out a new source, which they expect, will solve the World’s energy crisis. A synthetic leaf can turn sunlight and water into power. The fabricated leaf uses integrated circuit technology (electronics), silicon and different incentives that stimulate chemical reactions in the leaf. The reagents break water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen that can be used to generate power by using fuel cells can use the sunlight.

One of the researchers, Daniel Nocera , also the leader of research team, said:

“A practical artificial leaf has been one of the Holy Grails of science for decades. We believe we have done it. And placed in a gallon of water and left in sun, these artificial leaves could provide a home in the developing world with basic electricity for a day,” he further said, “Our goal is to make each home its own power station. One can envision villages in India and Africa not long from now purchasing an affordable basic power system based on this technology.”

The leaf was developed by using a silicon solar cell and a promoter(catalyst), developed by Daniel Nocera. When the experiment was first performed i-e by immersing the device into water and then placed in sunlight. The bubbles of oxygen were seen. These bubbles proved that the leaf has separated oxygen from water molecules. The next step in the development of this synthetic leaf was to add another catalyst that could bubble hydrogen from the water molecules. In this way, the hydrogen and oxygen dissociated can be used by the separate fuel cell to generate electricity. The separated hydrogen molecules can be used to synthesize as fuel for vehicles.

Reports about the artificial leaf were published in magzines “Energy & EnvironmentalScience” on 12 May, 2011 and in “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” on 6^th June, 2011. The objective of the research team is to synthesize such an energy source that should by very simple and economical. So that this marvel of science be used by the billions of people, that lack the access to electricity and power, around the globe.

The team head, Nocera says:

 “The “leaf” system, by contrast, is “still a science project,” Nocera says. “We haven’t even gotten to what I would call an engineering design.” He hopes, however, that the artificial leaf could become a reality within three years.” We are waiting for this time, eagerly.