Gold leaf does not grow on trees, but now they can collect solar energy. The group of American engineers, chemists learned photosynthetic molecules from plants, causing them to thin sheets of gold, creating artificial photosynthetic device. organisms use the process of photosynthesis for at least 3, 5 billion years, and during this time were developed Smart combination of protein and light absorbing dye, which helps convert sunlight into energy. Rather than reinvent the wheel, Kane Jennings (Kane Jennings) and Peter Sishelski (Peter Ciesielski) from Vanderbildskogo University in Neshvile decided to use these proteins to create their own photosynthetic device. This idea pushed their work Greenbaum Elias (Elias Greenbaum), who in the late 90`s introduced the protein complex, known as PS1, extracted from leaves spinach and maintain their properties after transferring to the surface of gold. Since the process of extracting PS1 from plants has been improved, we think the use of these light proteins in the creation of artificial leaves - Jennings said. The device uses Sishelski Jennings and produced on an industrial scale sheets of an alloy of silver and gold. In doing so, concentrated nitric acid used to dissolve silver, and gold remains to nanoskopicheskimi pores. As a result of a well-treated surface, allowing it to deploy a large number of PS1. This makes a thin sheet to the light. PS1 complexes attached to the upper layer of porous gold using tiolov - chemical molecules with the free end - to build sustainable relationships with proteins. When assembled artificial leaves exposed to light, PS1 generate a flow of electrons in metallic gold, which can take from the surface of electric current. In normal plants, these electrons would be used for the separation of complex chemical compounds on the chain and the creation of new energy reserves in the form of carbohydrates. Most tested leaves produce 8 nanoamper current value of each square millimeter. It is too far to the required level of effectiveness, but scientists are already working on a new model. At the moment we are doing research on PS1-film thickness up to 1 millimeter thick - Jennings said. These films can generate up to 0, 02 mkA/mm2 and entertain normal calculator. While these devices are too far behind the best silicon solar cells, the new method may become more competitive in the future. The new design is quite simple and based on available materials. However, this system is too sensitive to direct sunlight, which can destroy the PS1-proteins. Search for the protection and creation of leaves, enclosing a larger number of proteins - the task ahead. Another possibility is that these artificial leaves become green hue, as they have rusty-red color because of the properties of porous gold. Greenbaum was impressed with the development of his ideas. This is a very good job. The results are of great value in studying the biological processes of transformation of solar energy.
