What a wonderful example of what's possible when we partner technology and nature! In 1998, researchers at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed an artificial, silicone-based leaf able to collect energy from the sun. However, this was a costly prototype, being composed of rare and expensive materials, and it had a short life span. So Daniel Nocera of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology went back to the drawing board.Using cheaper and more readily available materials, Daniel produced a playing card sized leaf with the potential to provide a days worth of power for homes without access to electricity grids. Just drop it into some water, clean or horribly dirty, and place it into sunlight.
According to the Scientific American article online "The leaf contains catalysts -- or molecules that accelerate chemical reactions -- that split H2O into hydrogen and oxygen gas. The gases are then sent to a fuel cell, which in turn produces a wireless current of electricity. Hydrogen and oxygen catalysts cover each side of a thin silicon layer -- the same material used in solar cells -- to accelerate the water-splitting reaction. The reaction is visible to anyone looking through a clear glass of water, as gases bubble around the leaf." Of course...
Even more exciting is the claim that the leaf may be able to generate up to 30 kilowatt-hours, almost enough to power the average American household for a day. An effective prototype is expected to be ready within the next couple of years. via sciam.com
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