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Artificial photosynthesis for fuel

07.12.2014

Toshiba Corporation announced the development of highly efficient artificial photosynthesis - a technology for producing carbon compounds from carbon dioxide and water with the participation of solar energy. The technology was presented to the public at the International Conference on Artificial Photosynthesis ICARP2014 in Japan.

Similar technologies are widely used in the vegetable kingdom for the production of organic substances (usually sugars) from the same components. In the case of Toshiba, it is expected that artificial photosynthesis will be able to produce both fuel and raw materials for the chemical industry.

According to the corporation, the presented technology of artificial photosynthesis shows an efficiency of converting sunlight energy into carbon fuel equal to 1,5%, which, according to Toshiba, is the best indicator among similar developments today (for obtaining compounds that can be used as chemical raw material or fuel).

Other attempts to implement artificial photosynthesis are usually based on the use of the ultraviolet part of the sunlight spectrum and are characterized by a low level of efficiency, not suitable for practical use.

In Toshiba's development, the result of the photosynthetic reaction of water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) is carbon monoxide (CO), a component for producing the so-called "synthesis gas", (a mixture of CO and H2). By enriching synthesis gas with hydrogen, methanol (methyl alcohol) can be obtained.

Methanol production itself is not new. This substance is widely used as a raw material in the modern chemical industry (in particular, for the production of formaldehyde resins and plastics). In addition, there are methanol-fuelled internal combustion engines and fuel cells for automobiles and electronics.

The technology proposed by the Japanese is designed to exclude one expensive and energy-consuming link from the methanol production chain - CO production, which directly uses natural gas (methane). Theoretically, Toshiba believes, its photosynthesis will help solve the problems of both the growing concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the possible depletion of fossil fuels.

Toshiba's chemical reactor uses a gold catalytic lattice with nanosized cells to convert water and carbon dioxide into methanol. As the company notes in its message, the goal of its further research will be to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis by increasing the activity of the catalyst. The company hopes to secure practical implementation of its technology in the 2020s.

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