Deyanira Geisnæs Schaad
Swiss researchers from the University of Basel have created a molecule, capable of accumulating up to 4 light charges, which is close to artificial photosynthesis technologies.
Plants use photosynthesis to capture solar energy and convert carbon dioxide into energy-rich sugar molecules. Animals and humans consume these carbohydrates, releasing stored energy and returning carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
The researchers aim to recreate this natural model in the laboratory. If sunlight can be harnessed to produce for the production of high-energy compounds, such as hydrogen, methanol, or synthetic gasoline, these fuels can be used without additional CO₂ emissions.
A team of researchers, led by professor Oliver Wenger’s, has announced the creation of a molecule, that could bring scientists closer to creating carbon-neutral fuels. The molecule consists of five interconnected components, of which two blocks release electrons and receive positive charges. At the same time, two other blocks capture electrons and receive a negative charge. The central unit absorbs sunlight and starts the transfer process.
The vast majority of reactions for creating fuel from solar energy, such as splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, require a large number of electrons. Without the simultaneous accumulation and stabilization of several charges at once, these reactions will not be effective.
The researchers used two light flashes to generate four charges in stages. The first flash creates one positive and one negative charge, which are shifted to opposite ends of the molecule. The second flash repeats the process, leaving a structure with two positive and two negative charges.
“This stepwise excitation allows us to use much dimmer light. As a result, we are already approaching the intensity of sunlight In addition, the charges in the molecule remain stable long enough to be used in further chemical reactions“, — explains one of the authors of the study, Mathis Brandlin.
Previous studies required extremely powerful laser radiation, which was not close to practical and commercial artificial photosynthesis. The ability to temporarily store multiple charges is crucial for solar fuel production, as these charges can initiate the chemical reactions needed to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
According to Oliver Wenger, this molecule — is not yet a full-fledged artificial photosynthesis system, but it is an extremely important building block of the future system. The study also shows, how molecular design can take artificial photosynthesis beyond theory and bring it closer to practical applications.
The results of the study are published in the journal Nature Chemistry
Source: Interesting Engineering
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