Solar cell speeds hydrogen production

February 19, 2008 | Source: NewScientist.com news service

Pennsylvania State University researchers built a solar cell that mimics photosynthesis to make hydrogen directly from water.

The device works much like a Gratzel solar cell, using sunlight to knock electrons off dye molecules, but instead of creating a current, the electrons are shuttled from the dye into a catalyst to split water molecules. The device splits water a thousand times faster than in other dye-based cells.

The researchers believe they can boost its efficiency (only around 1% of the light energy falling on it goes into splitting water), perhaps leading to a viable source of hydrogen to fuel cars and other vehicles.