среда, 30 мая 2012 г.

BIO- NANO- PHOTO: HYDROGEN AND ALGAE





Combining nano-and biotechnology has created a device that converts the energy of sunlight to electricity twice as effective analogues.

The decomposition of water fotoelektrolizom for hydrogen fuel - one of the most promising areas for future development of energy. The main problem in this way, as usual, is to increase the efficiency of photoelectrochemical cells in which this process occurs: the conversion of sunlight into electricity and use it to split water molecules. A significant step forward in this direction have recently Swiss scientists have used for this purpose, a natural pigment extracted from algae, and in some ways imitated the natural mechanisms of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is generally considered one of the most attractive targets of Energy, along with such prospects as fusion. Reliable, ...

One approach to this is the use of photoelectrochemical cells. Typically, the electrodes are made ​​of semiconducting materials - such as metal oxides, many of which possess the photocatalytic properties. Recently, Swiss researchers together with colleagues from the United States proposed the use of ... According to their report, such a complex system is twice as efficient in producing hydrogen than iron oxide itself.

Iron oxide (III) - for example, in the form of hematite - generally considered a very promising material for photoelectrochemical cells for the electrodes: it can absorb sunlight in the visible wavelength range, making it more efficient than conventional titanium oxide (IV), which absorbs only . And, of course, it is much cheaper than titanium and common equivalent.

The second component of ... The importance of its functions for the photosynthetic bacteria can say at least the fact that in some conditions, phycocyanin can be up to 60% of all cellular proteins.

Scientists have demonstrated that phycocyanin molecules associated with hematite nanoparticles are very effectively captures photons of visible light. According to their estimates, obtained with the electric double stronger than a conventional iron oxide electrode.

However, even in an alkaline medium Photoelectrochemical cells, and a sufficiently strong light, the protein remains intact, preserving its structure and function. This fact has puzzled many authors develop, waiting for it pretty fast denaturation and degradation: too aggressive conditions.

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