Also: solar water splitting, bionic leaf, photoelectrochemistry
Artificial leaves imitate photosynthesis, using sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen or to turn CO2 into fuels.
Readiness: lab lab studies · prototype demonstrated objects · commercial products or buildings in real use · review summaries of other studies.
Fujishima and Honda showed sunlight on a titanium dioxide electrode could split water.
As reported in: FUJISHIMA, HONDA (1972). Electrochemical Photolysis of Water at a Semiconductor Electrode. Nature. doi:10.1038/238037a0
Abstract only
Khaselev and Turner built a combined solar cell and electrode that split water at record efficiency.
Built / tested: photoelectrochemical cell
As reported in: Khaselev, Turner (1998). A Monolithic Photovoltaic-Photoelectrochemical Device for Hydrogen Production via Water Splitting. Science. doi:10.1126/science.280.5362.425
Abstract only
Reece, Nocera and colleagues made a wireless silicon "artificial leaf" with cheap catalysts that splits water in sunlight.
Built / tested: artificial leaf
As reported in: Reece, Hamel, Sung et al. (2011). Wireless Solar Water Splitting Using Silicon-Based Semiconductors and Earth-Abundant Catalysts. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1209816
Abstract only
Liu and colleagues paired water splitting with bacteria to turn CO2 into fuels and biomass more efficiently than plants.
Built / tested: bionic leaf
As reported in: Liu, Colón, Ziesack et al. (2016). Water splitting–biosynthetic system with CO <sub>2</sub> reduction efficiencies exceeding photosynthesis. Science. doi:10.1126/science.aaf5039