What Have Been Achieved By Scientists Involving An Artificial Photosynthesis System

At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, major accomplishments have been achieved by scientists involving an artificial photosynthesis system. Researchers involved in this experiment include: Peidong Yang, Christopher Chang, and Michelle Chang. This system the scientists have developed is composed of four parts. One element of this new structure integrates capturing solar energy. Another component engages developing lowering equivalents. The final two key parts to the artificial photosynthesis model involve decreasing carbon dioxide to biosynthetic intermediates and generating value added chemicals. The artificial photosynthesis structure has been created with the assistance of semiconducting nanowires and bacteria that mock the natural photosynthetic steps in which plants harness energy from the sun to

Due to the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, CO2 is at its highest level that it ever has been over the last three million years. "In natural photosynthesis, leaves harvest solar energy and carbon dioxide is reduced and combined with water for the synthesis of molecular products that form biomass," quotes Chris Chang, an expert in catalysts for carbon-neutral energy conversions. "In our system, nanowires harvest solar energy and deliver electrons to bacteria, where carbon dioxide is reduced and combined with water for the synthesis of a variety of targeted, value-added chemical products." In the experiment, Yang explains, "When sunlight is absorbed, photo-excited electron pairs are generated in the silicon and titanium oxide nanowires, which absorb different regions of the solar spectrum. The photo-generated electrons in the silicon will be passed onto bacteria for the CO2 reduction while the photo-generated holes in the titanium oxide split water molecules to make