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Mimicking the ingenuity of nature
https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/sonstiges/meldungen/detail/artikel/ringsystem-mit-charme/[font face=Serif][font size=5]Mimicking the ingenuity of nature[/font]
[font size=4]A clean, climate-friendly energy source that is virtually inexhaustible: This is the promise artificial photosynthesis holds. Chemists from the University of Würzburg have now got one step closer to reaching this goal. The scientists present their work in the journal Nature Chemistry.[/font]
[font size=3]Nature shows how to do it: Photosynthesis is a process used by plants to create energy-rich organic compounds, usually in the form of carbohydrates, and oxygen (O₂ ) from carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) and water (H₂O) driven by light. If we succeeded in mimicking this process on a large scale, numerous problems of humanity would probably be solved. Artificial photosynthesis could supply the Earth with fuels of high energy density such as hydrogen, methane or methanol while reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and slowing down climate change.
Developing the necessary efficient catalysts and associated dyes is a focal area of research at the Chair of Professor Frank Würthner at the University of Würzburg's Institute of Organic Chemistry. Two of Professor Würthner's doctoral students, Marcus Schulze and Valentin Kunz, have recently reported a partial success in this regard. They present the results of their research work in the current issue of the journal Nature Chemistry.
Improving an artificial photosystem
"In nature, the so-called photosystem II is a central component of the photosynthesis process", explains Marcus Schulze. It is a protein complex with a catalytically active centre consisting of multiple metal atoms. They have to work together to split water into its two elementary constituents, a process taking place in two spatially separated electrochemical half reactions. It is already possible to mimic these two reactions in the laboratory. But: "Hydrogen production already works quite well. The water oxidation to oxygen, however, needs to be accelerated so that the balance of the individual half reactions matches better," says Schulze.
…[/font][/font]
[font size=4]A clean, climate-friendly energy source that is virtually inexhaustible: This is the promise artificial photosynthesis holds. Chemists from the University of Würzburg have now got one step closer to reaching this goal. The scientists present their work in the journal Nature Chemistry.[/font]
[font size=3]Nature shows how to do it: Photosynthesis is a process used by plants to create energy-rich organic compounds, usually in the form of carbohydrates, and oxygen (O₂ ) from carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) and water (H₂O) driven by light. If we succeeded in mimicking this process on a large scale, numerous problems of humanity would probably be solved. Artificial photosynthesis could supply the Earth with fuels of high energy density such as hydrogen, methane or methanol while reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and slowing down climate change.
[center]
[font size=1]Three ruthenium atoms linked via specially shaped organic bonds make sure that the photosystem works more efficiently than its predecessors. (Graphic: Valentin Kunz & Marcus Schulze)[/font][/center]
Developing the necessary efficient catalysts and associated dyes is a focal area of research at the Chair of Professor Frank Würthner at the University of Würzburg's Institute of Organic Chemistry. Two of Professor Würthner's doctoral students, Marcus Schulze and Valentin Kunz, have recently reported a partial success in this regard. They present the results of their research work in the current issue of the journal Nature Chemistry.
Improving an artificial photosystem
"In nature, the so-called photosystem II is a central component of the photosynthesis process", explains Marcus Schulze. It is a protein complex with a catalytically active centre consisting of multiple metal atoms. They have to work together to split water into its two elementary constituents, a process taking place in two spatially separated electrochemical half reactions. It is already possible to mimic these two reactions in the laboratory. But: "Hydrogen production already works quite well. The water oxidation to oxygen, however, needs to be accelerated so that the balance of the individual half reactions matches better," says Schulze.
…[/font][/font]
