Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering,

Department of Chemical Engineering

Presented By,
Muyeena Akbari Khanzada
1DS12CH020
 State of the Planet

Artificial Photosynthesis

Catalysts

Applications

Obstacles

Recent Advances

Conclusion

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STATE OF THE PLANET

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3
 YEAR 2001 2050 2100
World Population 6.145 9.4 10.4
(Billions)
Energy Consumptions 13.5 27.6 43.0
(TW/yr)

CO2 Emissions (GtC/yr) 6.57 11 13.3

2000 2050 2100

Population Energy Consumption CO2 Emissions 17 June 2017 4
 In absence of geoengineering, the effects on environment caused by

CO2 over next 40 years will persist globally for 500-2,000 years

Atmospheric CO2 levels were between 210-300 ppm for last 420,000

years

We are hoping to stabilize it in the 550-650 ppm range

In order to do this, by 2050 we would need as much carbon neutral

power as the amount of total energy produced today

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 Three main options

Nuclear fission

Clean coal with carbon capture and storage

Renewable sources of energy

The technology must start now and maintain a similar growth rate

Probably too late for nuclear fission and carbon capture

technologies
Look to renewables!
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The Sun is by far the largest exploitable source of energy
The Sun pours more energy onto the Earth every hour than
humankind uses in a year Nathan Lewis

But what about when the sun goes down? Storage?

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 MOTIVATION IS ALL AROUND US
Real-life leaves prove that sunlight can be
converted into fuel using only common elements

Q: Can humankind imitate this process to rescue

the planet from global warming? 17 June 2017 8
 Potential to solve two major problems:

Energy security

Carbon emissions

The key is to make energy-dense

chemical fuel with minimal carbon
emissions.
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 Stores solar energy as fuel by rearranging the

chemical bonds of water to form O2 and NADPH, which

is natures form of H2

Nicotine Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Hydrogen

Later in the process, NADPH is used to form glucose,

Glucose which is a sugar and a main basis for energy in most
organisms
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 IMITATION IS THE SINCEREST FORM OF FLATTERY

Two spatially separated electrodes coated with

catalysts placed in water

Sunlight creates a wireless current that sparks the

reactions below

Cathode produced hydrogen, and anode produces

oxygen

Anode (oxidation) 4 H 4e O2
2 H 2O
H2
Cathode (reduction) 4 H 4e
2 H 2
Overall reaction
2 H 2O
2 H 2 O2 17 June 2017 11
 Capturing Sunlight?

NO!!

Current Solar Power Systems do it

Releasing Hydrogen?

NO!!

We use water, water contains Hydrogen

Splitting of Water?

YES!

Requires 5.3 volts per molecule

Solution??

USE CATALYST!! 17 June 2017 12

 Manganese

Used in Plants

Biomimetic Approach

Die Sensitized Titanium Dioxide

Used in Die sensitized Solar Cell

Called the Graetzel Cell

Cobalt Oxide

Recently Discovered

Nano sized clusters of CoO molecules

Abundant molecule

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 Ideal way out of energy predicament

Coal is highly polluting

Wind turbines hurt landscapes

Current Solar cell is expensive

Artificial Photosynthesis is not weather dependant

Can produce more than one type of fuel

Liquid Hydrogen

Methanol

Can help in removal of Carbon dioxide from air

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 Works in lab; Not ready for mass consumption

Catalyst Woes:

Managanese Unstable in man-made setup; Not dissolve in water

Organic Degrade; Trigger additional reactions

Metal oxides Need to be fast; If fast, lack in abundance

Titanium dioxide Electrolyte is the problem; volatile solvents erode components

Cobalt Oxide Is the best catalyst we have for now

Research is being carried out. Scientists from various background, coming

together to commercialize Artificial Photosynthesis

Use of nanotechnology, electronics, etc.

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 Peidong Yang, Christopher Chang and Michelle Chang from US Department of Energy, Berkeley lab
and UC Berkeley
Created a hybrid system of Semiconducting Nanowires and Bacteria

It synthesizes Carbon dioxide and Water into Acetate

Alliance between Material Sciences and Biology

Consists artificial forest Nanowire hetero-structures of silicon and titanium dioxide nanowires

Similar to chloroplasts in plants; They absorb solar spectrum

Populated with microbial populations; Sporomusa ovata

Bacteria readily accept electrons to reduce CO2; Makes acetate

Electronically engineered E.Coli used to synthesize targeted chemicals

Achieved a solar energy conversion of up to 0.38 percent for 200 hours; similar to leaf

Yields vary from chemical to chemical; 26% for Butanol

Currently working on second generation system; Target efficiency of 10% 17 June 2017 16
17 June 2017 17
 Artificial Photosynthesis has a lot of advantages

Clean Energy

Carbon Emission Reduction

Abundant Raw Materials

Nature Inspired

Still in lab stages

More research is required

It is picking up speed

One of the most promising technologies to save the planet

Tweaking the process, can result in formations of organic chemicals too!

Soon, we will have artificial plants, that work like the real thing!
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 Antonio Regalado, Reinventing the Leaf: The ultimate fuel may come not from corn or
algae but directly from the sun itself, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, October 2010, at 32-35.
Matthew Kanan & Daniel Nocera, In Situ Formation of an Oxygen-Evolving Catalyst in
Neutral Water Containing Phosphate and Co2+ , SCIENCE, Aug. 22, 2008, at 1072-75.
Harry Gray, Powering the Planet with Solar Fuel, Nature Chemistry, April 2009, at 7.
Photosynthesis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2008, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis
Snyder, Kendra. (2007). New Developments in Artificial Photosynthesis. Retreived
March 23, 2008, from Brookhaven National Laboratories Web site,
http://www.bnl.gov/bnlweb/pubaf/pr/PR_display.asp?prID=07-31
How Stuff Works - http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-
tech/energy-production/artificial-photosynthesis.htm
Berkeley Lab - http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/04/16/major-advance-in-artificial-
photosynthesis/

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THANKYOU!!

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