Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy.
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy.
A collaboration led by Kyriakos Stylianou of the OSU College of Science created a photocatalyst that enables the high-speed, high-efficiency production of hydrogen, used in fuel cells for cars as well as in the manufacture of many chemicals including ammonia, in the refining of metals and in making plastics.
The findings represent a potential new tool to use against greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, said Stylianou, whose research focuses on crystalline, porous materials known as metal organic frameworks, usually abbreviated as MOFs.
Made up of positively charged metal ions surrounded by organic “linker” molecules, MOFs have nanosized pores and tunable structural properties. They can be designed with a variety of components that determine the MOF’s properties.
Read more at Oregon State University
Image: Water splitting via photocatalysis. (Credit: Image provided by Kyriakos Stylianou)
