{"id":13005,"date":"2023-05-24T13:24:28","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1396783"},"modified":"2023-05-24T13:24:28","modified_gmt":"2023-05-24T13:24:28","slug":"scientists-develop-artificial-leaf-that-could-power-the-cars-of-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=13005","title":{"rendered":"Scientists develop \u2018artificial leaf\u2019 that could power the cars of the future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed an \u2018artificial leaf\u2019 that uses sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into ethanol and propanol. <\/span><\/p>\n

These so-called \u2018drop-in\u2019 fuels can directly power an internal combustion engine without any modifications, potentially offering a low-emissions alternative to gasoline. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unlike fossil fuels, these solar fuels produce net-zero carbon emissions, <\/span>said<\/span><\/a> the researchers, and are entirely renewable. What\u2019s more, unlike most bioethanol, they do not divert any agricultural land away from food production.  <\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n

Researchers made the artificial leaf from multiple layers including copper, glass, silver, and graphite. The leaf contains light absorbers \u2013 similar to the molecules in plants that harvest sunlight \u2013 which are combined with a catalyst.<\/span><\/p>\n

This catalyst, which is similar to chlorophyll, the catalyst for photosynthesis in a real leaf, is made from two elements \u2014 copper and palladium. In the presence of sunlight, the catalyst converts <\/span>CO<\/span>2<\/span> to ethanol and propanol, and the water into oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/i><\/a>This artificial leaf doesn\u2019t look much like the real thing, but it gets the job done, apparently (Credit: Motiar Rahaman\/University of Cambridge)<\/figcaption>