Artificial photosynthesis is being researched as a way to convert solar energy into fuels by mimicking the process of photosynthesis in plants. The document describes artificial leaf, which is a device that uses sunlight and inexpensive, earth-abundant materials like silicon, cobalt and nickel to generate streams of oxygen and hydrogen gas bubbles when placed in water, similar to a natural leaf. The gases can be collected and stored for later use as fuel. The document outlines the construction, working, fabrication process and potential applications and advantages of artificial leaf as an alternative energy source.

1. ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS
(MARRIAGE OF NATURE & ELECTRONICS)
BY,
D.J.PRADEEP(11G2A04321)
AUDISANKARA COLLEGE OF
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, Gudur.
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
A Technical Seminar On

2. » Things as possible as that can produce power
are :
Tide,Wind,Water, Sun, Nuclear,Coal,Garbage,
terrestrial heat,Diesel,etc…
ARTIFICIAL LEAF
Introduction
NOW

3. As crude oil prices rise again, research is once again
focusing on converting solar energy into fuels.
Pollution is increasing day-by-day by increasing of
vehicles on road.
To reduce use of fossil fuel, to save nature we are using
artificial photosynthesis which uses sun and some low
cost materials as fuels and produce energy in form of
hydrogen & oxygen.
Why we use ARTIFICIAL LEAF

4. “ 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.
Artificial leaf

5.  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.
 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.
Working

7. 1.Stainless steel plate of the size of a playing card is
base
2.Amorphous Silicon-Germanium alloy junction and
amorphous silicon on the stainless steel plate.
3.The lit side of the plate : layer of Indium-Tin Oxide.
4. The Cobalt-OEC is deposited the Indium -Tin Oxide
layer.
5. Nickel-Molybdenum-Zinc alloy is deposited on
other side
6. This plate is then submerged in a container of
water and illuminated by sunlight
Construction

8. Structure

9. Fabricating or Manufacturing
 Antenna structure that captures the light (similar to a solar
panel), and already coat it with the artificial material that
would replace the chlorophyll.
 Organic photovoltaic mimicking chlorophyll would need to
be “painted” on in thin layers onto these antennas.
 By hydrolysis , in the presence of sun light & water ,we get
oxygen & hydrogen separately.
 Apart of producing oxygen like natural leaf, the artificial leaf
also produces hydrogen too.
 Therefore, in this way manufacturing of “ARTIFICIAL LEAF” is
done.

10. Fabricating Materials
 Cobalt.
 Nickel.
 Molybdenum.
 Zinc.
 Silicon &
 Stainless steel.
• Where these material are abundant in nature
& low cost, so we can say fabricating cost is
less . It is more economic & efficient.

11.  Generation of power.
 Electronic uses.
 Fuel for hybrid vehicles.
 Medical fields.
 Industrial uses.
 Nano technology.
 Energy conservation purposes.
Applications

12. Home will be a power & gas
station

13. » H2 can then be stored and either burned or
run through a fuel cell to generate electricity.
» It can store energy in the chemical form that is the
great advantage of this device over the solar panal
which we use now a day.
» It is inexpensive as the materials are abundant.
Advantages

14. » safe storing of hydrogen gas.
» Freezing in sub zero temperatures.
» The efficiency needs to be improved.
» For high performance, the cost due to
huge silicon solar cell increases.
Disadvantages

15. Research is undergoing
 To reduce the cost of this leaf NOCERA LAB is working
on reducing the amount of silicon used in this artificial
leaf and is also looking to scale-up production.
 NOCERA lab is working with Roy Gordon’s group to use
chemical vapour deposition to coat flexible silicon on leaf,
or even depositing the semiconductor as well

16. Our goal is to make each home its own power station.
One can envision villages in India and other countries
not long from now purchasing an affordable basic
power system based on this technology.
Conclusion

17. References
 www.mapageweb.com
 www.eere.energy.gov/solar/photovoltaics.html
 www.abc.net.au/rn/science/buzz/stories.html
 www.futurehi.net/archieves/000159.html
 www.geocites.com/flipy_nicki.html
 www.ioffe.rssi.com
 www.personal.rdg.ac.uk
 www.vafps.org/e-commercefuzzy.html