Growing a new ‘leaf’ that harnesses sun, water and CO2 to make liquid fuel

A Yale-led research team has developed the first standalone device that produces the liquid fuel methanol using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide as the ingredients.The artificial “leaf,” like its namesake in nature, is a chemistry marvel. It brings the scientific mimicry of photosynthesis — the process of converting sunlight and water into chemical energy — to a new level, converting sunlight to methanol 32 times more efficiently than the previous conversion record for artificial leaf technologies that generate alcohol products.

What is photosynthesis?Photosynthesis is the process in nature by which plants (plus algae and certain bacteria) convert sunlight into chemical energy, transforming carbon dioxide and water into glucose and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.What is an artificial leaf?An artificial leaf replicates photosynthesis by using catalysts and sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into chemical fuels.How is the new, Yale-led artificial leaf concept distinct?The artificial leaf developed in the lab of Yale chemist Hailiang Wang and funded by the Center for Hybrid Approaches in Solar Energy to Liquid Fuels (CHASE) is the first standalone device that produces the liquid fuel methanol using only sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide as the ingredients.