Plants use photosynthesis to obtain energy from sunlight and CO2. Researchers at the Technical University of Munich were inspired by the process and developed their own method that will be used in the future Synthesis gas is to be produced.
The result is a yellowish powder, the so-called “Nanozym“, explains project manager Roland Fischer from the Chair of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry in a sending. Dissolved in water and irradiated with light, the nanozyme converts carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and at the same time produces hydrogen. The innovation of the system is that the Nanozym has 2 reaction centers – one for carbon monoxide and one for hydrogen.
The challenge was to get as high as possible efficiency to reach. To do this, a molecule takes on the task of an energy antenna, similar to the chlorophyll molecule in plants. In this way, light particles are absorbed and electrons are passed on to the two reaction centers.
High energy yield
“Our energy yield from the light is with 36 percent spectacularly high,” says Philip Stanley, who researched the topic as part of his doctoral thesis. “We can convert up to every third photon, i.e. light particles, into chemical energy. Previous systems were at most in the range of every tenth particle.”
dr Philip Stanley examines his work.
© Astrid Eckert/TUM
Even in comparison with photovoltaics, the efficiency is impressive. tandem solar cells deliver values of around under laboratory conditions 33 percent. industrially manufactured Solar panel achieve efficiencies of around 20 percent.
Better than plants
The high energy yield gives the researchers hope that a technical implementation for industry will take place quickly. Incidentally, artificial photosynthesis is already significantly more efficient than the process that occurs in nature. There will be on average less than one percent converted to solar energy.
