STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have created a proof-of-concept device that can do what plants, trees and algae do -- directly split water and produce recoverable hydrogen.
"This is a proof-of-concept system that is very inefficient. But ultimately, catalytic systems with 10 to 15 percent solar conversion efficiency might be achievable," said Pennsylvania State University Professor Thomas Mallouk. "If this could be realized, water photolysis would provide a clean source of hydrogen fuel from water and sunlight."
Although solar cells can now produce electricity from visible light at efficiencies of greater than 10 percent, solar hydrogen cells have been limited by the poor spectral response of the semiconductors used.
Mallouk and postdoctoral fellow W. Justin Youngblood, together with collaborators at Arizona State University, developed a catalyst system that, combined with a dye, can mimic the electron transfer and water oxidation processes that occur in plants during photosynthesis.
They detailed their research this week in Boston during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
