This presentation describes an artificial floating solar leaf that mimics photosynthesis to generate electricity from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. The ultra-thin, lightweight device uses silicon, cobalt, and nickel materials to split water into hydrogen and oxygen via photoelectrochemical reactions when exposed to sunlight. The hydrogen and oxygen gases can be collected and stored as chemical fuels or used to generate electricity through a fuel cell. The artificial leaf provides a sustainable way to store solar energy but further research is still needed to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

1. ARTIFICIAL FLOATING SOLAR LEAF
-Solving the energy crisis by
mimicking nature……
PRESENTED BY:
ROHITH MOHAN
DEPT. - E&C

2. CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Structure
 Construction
 Reactions
 Working
 How to generate Electricity?
 Advantages
 Disadvantages
 Research is undergoing…
 Conclusion
 Reference

3. INTRODUCTION
“ Artificial leaf “ is Like living leaves, this
device can turn the energy of sunlight directly
into a chemical fuel that can be stored and
used later as an energy source.

4.  It was first designed by Daniel G. Nocera and
his colleagues in 2011.
 Later on, Ervin Resiner and his team focused
on developing sustainable solutions based
on the principle of photosynthesis.
 They developed the first version of the
artificial leaf that makes the syngas in 2019.

5. THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY, ENGLAND

6. STRUCTURE

7.  The ultra-thin, lightweight, and flexible device
produces a carbon-neutral fuel using solar
technology imitates photosynthesis through
sunlight.
 The device converts sunlight, carbon
dioxide, and water into liquid fuel that can be
stored while floating

8. CONSTRUCTION
1.Si semiconductor-Act as light harvesting catalyst . It capture
solar light.
2.Co-OEC-> cobalt-oxygen evolving complex , It deposits oxygen at
anode side(on illuminated side of cell).
3.NiMoZn-Produces H₂ from combining H⁺ & e⁻ made available
from semiconductor at cathode side.
4.ITO(Indium tin oxide) layer-A conducting metal oxide layer to
stabilize silicon in water.
5.Stainless steel-Used for support . Si is deposited on it.

9. REACTIONS
Anode(Oxidation):
2H₂O → 4H⁺ + 4e⁻ + O₂
Cathode(Reduction):
4H⁺ + 4e⁻ →2H₂
Overall reaction:
2H₂O →2H₂+ O₂

10. WORKING
When artificial leaf placed in a container of
water and exposed to sunlight it quickly
begins to generate streams of bubbles:
oxygen bubbles from one side and hydrogen
bubbles from the other.

11. The two streams of bubbles can be
collected and stored and used later to deliver
power.
 The device is made entirely of earth-
abundant , inexpensive materials mostly
silicon, cobalt and nickel and works in
ordinary water.

14. HOW TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY?
Oxidation
At the anode of the cell, a
proton passing membrane used
to separate the proton from the
electron in the hydrogen fuel.
Anode half-reaction:
2H2  4H+ + 4e-
Reduction
At the cathode of the cell, a
second catalyst (nickel) is used
to recombine the protons,
electrons, and oxygen atoms
to form water.
Cathode half- reaction:
4H+ + O2 + 4e-  2H2O

15. ADVANTAGES
It can store energy in the
chemical form that is the
great advantage of this
device over the solar
panels which we use
now a day.
Inexpensive.
By products are eco
friendly.

16. DISADVANTAGES
Materials often corrode in water , when
placed over long period of time.
Overall cost is not yet advantageous enough
to compete with fossil fuels.

17. RESEARCH IS UNDERGOING
To increase the efficiency of this device To
explore the use of photovoltaic (solar cell)
materials other than silicon such as iron oxide
which might be even cheaper to produce.

18. IN INDIA .…
• Tata’s dream come true:
Tata’s dream come true Ratan Tata has earlier
expressed his desire to build a car that runs on water.
He has already invested $15 million for supporting
research in the field. The product is slated to hit the
market after 18 months

19. CONCLUSION
• Our goal is to make each
home its own power
station. One can envision
villages in India and
Africa not long from now
purchasing an affordable
basic power system
based on this technology

20. REFERENCES
• Discovery news.
• D. Owen.“The Artificial Leaf.”The New
Yorker.(http://www.newyorker.com/reporting)
• DR. Daniel Nocera a researcher at the
(MIT)Massachusetts Institute of Technology who
heads the research

21. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING….