Researchers from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) and the University of Tokyo have designed a new type of hydrogel.

This hydrogel mimics the natural process of photosynthesis. It uses sunlight to split water, producing hydrogen and oxygen.

“Hydrogels are packed with functional molecules, such as ruthenium complexes and platinum nanoparticles, which work together to simulate the natural process of photosynthesis,” the researchers said in a press release.

Hydrogen is widely considered a promising fuel for the future. It burns cleanly, producing only water as a byproduct. However, current methods of hydrogen production often rely on fossil fuels, making them unsustainable.

This new research offers a potential solution. It uses available resources – sunlight and water – to produce hydrogen in an environmentally friendly way.

The structure and function of hydrogen

“By making artificial photosynthesis more active, this study brings us closer to a future where renewable hydrogen could power industries, transportation and energy storage systems,” the researchers added.

The research team, led by Associate Professor Kosuke Okeyoshi at JAIST and Professor Ryo Yoshida at the University of Tokyo, focused on designing hydrogels with a precisely engineered internal structure.

These hydrogels incorporate networks of polymers that act as a framework. The polymer network in the hydrogel plays a crucial role in facilitating efficiency energy conversion.

“These networks help control electron transfer, which is crucial for water splitting hydrogen and oxygen,” the press release states.

Challenges in artificial photosynthesis

This technology overcomes a difficulty that has been encountered in previous attempts to create artificial photosynthesis systems.

“The biggest challenge was figuring out how to arrange these molecules so they could transfer electrons smoothly.” RECORDED Prof. Okeyoshi.

Older systems had problems with molecules clumping together. When these molecules clump together, they cannot function effectively. This reduces the amount of hydrogen that can be produced.

“By using a polymer network, we were able to prevent them from clumping together, which is a common problem in synthetic photosynthesis systems,” Okeyoshi pointed out.

First author Reina Hagiwara explained that the organization of the molecules in the hydrogel is what makes it work.

“By creating a structured environment, we made the energy conversion process much more efficient,” she said.

Promising results

Although the results are promising, the researchers acknowledge that further development is needed. The next steps involve scaling up the production of these hydrogels and ensuring that they remain stable over long periods of time.

The team is also exploring ways to further improve the hydrogels’ energy conversion efficiency. This could involve fine-tuning the polymer network or incorporating new types of functional molecules.

Their ultimate goal is to create a practical and cost-effective system for producing hydrogen from sunlight and water.

“We have shown the potential, but now we need to refine the technology for industrial use,” noted Prof. Okeyoshi.

The development of these hydrogels opens up exciting possibilities for the future of renewable energy.

“Hydrogen is a fantastic energy source because it’s clean and renewable. Our hydrogels provide a way to produce hydrogen using sunlight, which could help reshape energy technologies in a sustainable way,” concluded Okeyoshi.