1. ABSTRACT MATERIALS / METHODS CONCLUSIONS REFERENCES RESULTS OBJECTIVES
King Faisal University
College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
“The Artificial Leaf”
By: Mohammad Albajhan, Khalid Alkhaldi, Mohammad Alqahtani, & Hamdan Alhamdan
ABSTRACT
MATERIALS / METHODS
CONCLUSIONS
The artificial leaf can simulate the photosynthesis process found in naturally in plants to split the hydrogen molecules from the oxygen molecules using a catalyst made of abundant materials "Nickle, Zinc, Cobalt, Molybdenum" can simulate the natural process using water and sunlight to get hydrogen molecules, which can be used as environment-friendly fuel.
The leaf consists of a thin, flat, three-layered silicon solar cell with catalysts bonded to both faces of the silicon.
One side is made of NiMoZn “Nickle, Molybdenum, zinc” as H2 splitter, and the other consist of Co-borate as O2 evolution catalysts.
When placed in a beaker of water and exposed to sunlight, silicon absorbs photons of sunlight, generating electrons with enough energy to conduct through the silicon.
The process leaves behind positively charged electron vacancies called “holes” that can also move through the material.
The holes migrate to a cobalt-containing catalyst, where they strip electrons from water molecules, breaking them into hydrogen ions and oxygen atoms.
The catalyst then knits pairs of oxygens together to make O2.
Meanwhile, the H+ ions migrate to NiMoZn catalyst on the opposite face to combine with conducting electrons to make molecules of H2.
In principle, the H2 can then be stored and either burned or run through a fuel cell to generate electricity.
In this study,. This method is expected to be as a successful alternative method to harvest solar energy in our country where the water and sunlight are the only raw materials , most of the materials are available and many wide open areas covered by hot sunlight.
REFERENCES
RESULTS
OBJECTIVES
Today, 95% of the hydrogen produced in the United States is made by industrial-scale natural gas reformation uses natural gas and steam to generate carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The artificial leaf is an incredible achievement where the only inputs are sunlight and water to get a high efficient fuel in fuel cell vehicles that is used in many cars. The hydrogen out of this process can be used directly as fuel in fuel cells. Fuel cell vehicles are up to three times more efficient than conventional vehicles mile range, a fuel tank that can be filled up in three - five minutes, and emits zero emissions except for water vapor.
[1] The Artificial Leaf DANIEL G. NOCERA Department of Chemistry, 6-335, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
[2]Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Study June 12, 2003 , Panel on Public Affairs (POPA), American Physical Society
[3]
[4]
[5] [6]
Extract the hydrogen effectively and efficiently to use it as a fuel.
Using an environmentally friendly method that inspired from the mother nature.
Less emissions than traditional ways of hydrogen extraction.
INTRODUCTION
Energy has become a nationwide as well as a global issue, and a serious attempt is needed to search for viable alternatives as renewable energy sources to meet the futuristic demand. The artificial leaf provide a reliable and promising alternative to the traditional way to harvest the solar energy “ Solar Panels”.
Workshop on: Green Technologies
& Energy Efficiency
April 26, 2017