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| Open AccessSingle platinum atoms embedded in nanoporous cobalt selenide as electrocatalyst for accelerating hydrogen evolution reaction
While water splitting chemistry provides a renewable means to produce carbon-neutral hydrogen fuel, the most efficient catalysts require rare and expensive platinum. Here, authors prepare single-atom platinum on cobalt selenide as a high-performance hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst.
- Kang Jiang
- , Boyang Liu
- & Yongwen Tan
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Article
| Open AccessBoosting oxygen evolution of single-atomic ruthenium through electronic coupling with cobalt-iron layered double hydroxides
While water splitting offers a carbon-neutral means to store energy, water oxidation is sluggish and corrosive over earth-abundant electrocatalysts. Here, authors show single ruthenium atoms over cobalt-iron layered double hydroxides to be effective and stable oxygen evolution electrocatalysts.
- Pengsong Li
- , Maoyu Wang
- & Xiaoming Sun
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Article
| Open AccessIn-situ local phase-transitioned MoSe2 in La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-δ heterostructure and stable overall water electrolysis over 1000 hours
While catalysts are necessary for H2 and O2 production from water, developing materials capable of evolving both under the same conditions has proven challenging. Here, authors prepare perovskite-oxide and molybdenum sulfide heterostructures as bifunctional water-splitting electrocatalysts.
- Nam Khen Oh
- , Changmin Kim
- & Hyesung Park
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Article
| Open AccessModulating the mechanism of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction by cobalt phthalocyanine through polymer coordination and encapsulation
Understanding the mechanism behind CO2 reduction catalysis is crucial in the development of high efficiency and activity catalysts. Here, authors employ kinetic isotope effects and proton inventory studies to assess catalyst mechanism and proton delivery in molecular CO2 electroreduction materials.
- Yingshuo Liu
- & Charles C. L. McCrory
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Article
| Open AccessThe simplest construction of single-site catalysts by the synergism of micropore trapping and nitrogen anchoring
Single-atom catalysts maximize atom usage within supports, but preparations can be complex. Here, authors show a facile impregnation-adsorption method to attach single noble-metal atoms to N-doped porous carbon and demonstrate strong electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution performances for Pt catalysts.
- Zhiqi Zhang
- , Yugang Chen
- & Zheng Hu
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Article
| Open AccessNitrogen-plasma treated hafnium oxyhydroxide as an efficient acid-stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions
Renewable hydrogen technologies are promising for alternative energy, but are encumbered by the kinetics of electrochemical reactions in harsh conditions. Here, authors report nitrogen-modified hafnium oxyhydroxide for electrocatalysis of hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions in acidic media.
- Xiaofang Yang
- , Fang Zhao
- & Bruce E. Koel
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Article
| Open AccessAtomically dispersed nickel–nitrogen–sulfur species anchored on porous carbon nanosheets for efficient water oxidation
Water oxidation is considered the bottleneck reaction for light-driven water splitting due to the sluggish kinetics and poor stability. Here, authors show metal- and heteroatom-doped carbons as effective catalysts for both electrochemical and photoelectrochemical water splitting.
- Yang Hou
- , Ming Qiu
- & Xinliang Feng
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Article
| Open AccessBoundary activated hydrogen evolution reaction on monolayer MoS2
While water-splitting electrocatalysts enable energy storage in carbon-neutral fuels, a recent challenge has been the discovery and understanding of catalyst active sites. Here, authors find domain boundaries in MoS2 materials to present high-activity, stable, and scalable sites for H2 evolution.
- Jianqi Zhu
- , Zhi-Chang Wang
- & Guangyu Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessDynamic emission Stokes shift and liquid-like dielectric solvation of band edge carriers in lead-halide perovskites
Lead halide perovskites have unique electronic properties that depend on the crystal’s anharmonicity. Dielectric solvation theories, developed for molecules dissolved in polar liquids, are shown here to reproduce the temperature behavior of carrier solvation in the electronic spectra, implying strongly anharmonic lattice dynamics.
- Yinsheng Guo
- , Omer Yaffe
- & Louis E. Brus
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Article
| Open AccessA chemically inert bismuth interlayer enhances long-term stability of inverted perovskite solar cells
Long term stability is a major barrier for the commercialization of halide perovskite solar cells. Here Wu et al. demonstrate that a chemically inert and structural impermeability bismuth electrode interlayer greatly increases the stability of unencapsulated perovskite solar cells under harsh conditions.
- Shaohang Wu
- , Rui Chen
- & Wei Chen
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Article
| Open AccessAtomically engineering activation sites onto metallic 1T-MoS2 catalysts for enhanced electrochemical hydrogen evolution
While heterogeneous catalysts can act as tangible, efficient materials for energy conversion, understanding the active catalytic sites is challenging. Here, authors engineer specific catalytic sites into molybdenum sulfide to improve and elucidate hydrogen evolution electrocatalysis.
- Yichao Huang
- , Yuanhui Sun
- & Jing Gu
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Correspondence
| Open AccessThermal artefacts in two-photon solar cell experiments
- Chris C. Phillips
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Article
| Open AccessStrain engineering in perovskite solar cells and its impacts on carrier dynamics
The residual strains in the mixed halide perovskite thin films and their effects on the solar cell devices are less understood. Here Zhu et al. study the impact of the gradient in-plane strain on the carrier dynamics of the strained perovskite films and optimize the device efficiency.
- Cheng Zhu
- , Xiuxiu Niu
- & Qi Chen
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Article
| Open AccessEngineered microbial biofuel production and recovery under supercritical carbon dioxide
End-product toxicity, culture contamination, and energy efficient product recovery are long-standing issues in bioprocessing. Here, the authors address these problems using a fermentation strategy that combines microbial production of branched alcohols with supercritical carbon dioxide extraction.
- Jason T. Boock
- , Adam J. E. Freedman
- & Janelle R. Thompson
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Article
| Open AccessPerovskite-polymer composite cross-linker approach for highly-stable and efficient perovskite solar cells
Defective grain boundaries of polycrystalline perovskite films are one of the major causes of the instability of the solar cell devices. Here Han et al. choose a polymer with proper molecular structure to crosslink the perovskite grains to greatly improve the device stability.
- Tae-Hee Han
- , Jin-Wook Lee
- & Yang Yang
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Article
| Open AccessRobust and synthesizable photocatalysts for CO2 reduction: a data-driven materials discovery
While the conversion of greenhouse CO2 to chemical fuels offers a promising renewable energy technology, there is a dire need for new materials. Here, authors report the largest CO2 photocathode search using a first-principles approach to identify both known and unreported candidate photocatalysts.
- Arunima K. Singh
- , Joseph H. Montoya
- & Kristin A. Persson
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Article
| Open AccessPhotoinduced semiconductor-metal transition in ultrathin troilite FeS nanosheets to trigger efficient hydrogen evolution
While earth-abundant materials are promising catalysts for renewable energy conversion, such materials tend to display poor activities. Here, authors show FeS troilite nanosheets to undergo a near-infrared light-triggered transition to a phase that displays improved H2 evolution performances.
- Gang Zhou
- , Yun Shan
- & Xinglong Wu
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Article
| Open AccessUnusual synergistic effect in layered Ruddlesden−Popper oxide enables ultrafast hydrogen evolution
Water may serve as a renewable hydrogen fuel source to replace fossil fuels, although such electrolysis requires highly active catalysts. Here, authors explore Ruddlesden−Popper oxides as hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts that feature an unusual synergistic effect to promote high activity.
- Yinlong Zhu
- , Hassan A. Tahini
- & Zongping Shao
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Article
| Open Access9.2%-efficient core-shell structured antimony selenide nanorod array solar cells
Antimony selenide is a promising thin film solar cell absorber material in which grain orientation is crucial for high device performance. Here Li et al. grow the material in nanorod arrays along the [001] direction and obtain record high efficiency of 9.2%.
- Zhiqiang Li
- , Xiaoyang Liang
- & Yaohua Mai
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Article
| Open AccessOverall water splitting by graphdiyne-exfoliated and -sandwiched layered double-hydroxide nanosheet arrays
The need for cheap water-splitting materials in order to scale-up and commercialize solar-to-fuel technologies is urgent, but there are still few candidate materials. Here, authors integrate layered double hydroxides with graphdiyne as high-performance overall water-splitting electrocatalysts.
- Lan Hui
- , Yurui Xue
- & Yuliang Li
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Article
| Open AccessContactless steam generation and superheating under one sun illumination
Solar steam generation is limited by fouling of solar converters, and the steam temperature is usually pinned to 100 °C. Here, both limitations are overcome in a system utilizing a solar absorber and light down-converter to achieve radiative heating, which does not require physical contact between absorber and water.
- Thomas A. Cooper
- , Seyed H. Zandavi
- & Gang Chen
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Comment
| Open AccessScaling of next generation solution processed organic and perovskite solar cells
- Paul Meredith
- & Ardalan Armin
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Article
| Open AccessUnravelling the role of vacancies in lead halide perovskite through electrical switching of photoluminescence
Methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite based solar cells have attracted lots of attention but many physical characteristics of this material remain elusive. Here Li et al. reveal the role of defects in the carrier recombination dynamics in photoluminescence experiments and present a model to describe it.
- Cheng Li
- , Antonio Guerrero
- & Juan Bisquert
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient solar-driven electrocatalytic CO2 reduction in a redox-medium-assisted system
Generating high-energy fuels from sunlight, water, and CO2 using synthetic materials requires, among many things, the careful separation of reduced and oxidized products. Here, authors employ a zinc-based redox pair to spatially and temporally separate light-driven water oxidation and CO2 reduction.
- Yuhang Wang
- , Junlang Liu
- & Gengfeng Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessUnravelling the effect of charge dynamics at the plasmonic metal/semiconductor interface for CO2 photoreduction
Light-driven CO2 reduction provides a way to limit greenhouse gas concentrations, but understanding how materials accomplish this transformation is challenging. Here, authors examine the reaction over plasmonic silver-titanium dioxide using time-resolved, in situ techniques to follow the mechanism.
- Laura Collado
- , Anna Reynal
- & Víctor A. de la Peña O’Shea
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Article
| Open AccessUnderstanding structure-activity relationships in linear polymer photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution
While inorganic semiconductors are well-studied for their solar-to-fuel energy conversion abilities, organic materials receive far less attention. Here, authors prepare linear conjugated polymers as H2 evolution photocatalysts and rationalize photocatalytic activities with fundamental properties.
- Michael Sachs
- , Reiner Sebastian Sprick
- & Andrew I. Cooper
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Article
| Open AccessA robust zirconium amino acid metal-organic framework for proton conduction
Metal-organic frameworks are promising materials for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, but cumbersome ligand preparation and use of toxic metals or solvents hinders their application. Here, the authors report the green synthesis of a zirconium, amino acid-based MOF that displays high proton conductivity and excellent stability.
- Sujing Wang
- , Mohammad Wahiduzzaman
- & Christian Serre
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Article
| Open AccessPhase and structure engineering of copper tin heterostructures for efficient electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction
While CO2 removal will play a crucial role in limiting climate change, it is challenging to understand the factors that control materials’ selectivity to convert CO2 to valuable products. Here, authors show copper and tin oxide interfaces to impact activities for CO2 reduction products.
- Pengtang Wang
- , Man Qiao
- & Xiaoqing Huang
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Article
| Open AccessAtomic scale insights into structure instability and decomposition pathway of methylammonium lead iodide perovskite
Hybrid perovskites are highly promising for photovoltaic applications, but they are prone to decomposition. Here, the authors probe the stability of CH3NH3PbI3 films in a transmission electron microscope, defining the threshold conditions to avoid damage under the electron beam, and describing a decomposition pathway.
- Shulin Chen
- , Xiaowei Zhang
- & Peng Gao
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Article
| Open AccessMyths and reality of HPbI3 in halide perovskite solar cells
Hydriodic acid or hydrogen lead iodide is widely used to stabilize all-inorganic perovskite cesium lead iodide to make high performing solar cells. Here Ke et al. reveal the real composition of the perovskites, where dimethylammonium partially take place of cesium cation at the A-site.
- Weijun Ke
- , Ioannis Spanopoulos
- & Mercouri G. Kanatzidis
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Article
| Open AccessUniversal passivation strategy to slot-die printed SnO2 for hysteresis-free efficient flexible perovskite solar module
Uniformity and hysteresis are long lasting problems for flexible perovskite solar modules. Here Bu et al. develop a universal potassium passivation strategy to improve the quality of slot-die printed tin oxide electron transport layers and demonstrate highly efficient and hysteresis-free flexible devices.
- Tongle Bu
- , Jing Li
- & Fuzhi Huang
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Article
| Open AccessManagement of transition dipoles in organic hole-transporting materials under solar irradiation for perovskite solar cells
In perovskite solar cells, the excited state property of hole-transport layer is not usually considered for the devices. Here the authors design organic hole-transport materials with high transition dipoles having extended lifetime at the excited states to improve the charge extraction of the devices.
- Song Ah Ok
- , Bonghyun Jo
- & Hui Joon Park
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Article
| Open AccessInterfacing nickel nitride and nickel boosts both electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution and oxidation reactions
Efficient hydrogen production and utilization materials will be crucial in order to compete with fossil fuel technologies. Here, authors report nickel and nickel nitride interfaces as effected catalysts for hydrogen evolution and oxidation in water.
- Fuzhan Song
- , Wei Li
- & Yujie Sun
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Article
| Open AccessMultibandgap quantum dot ensembles for solar-matched infrared energy harvesting
Efficient harvest of solar energy beyond the silicon absorption edge of 1100 nm by semiconductor solar cells remains a challenge. Here Sun et al. mix high multi-bandgap lead sulfide colloidal quantum dot ensembles to further increase both short circuit current and open circuit voltage.
- Bin Sun
- , Olivier Ouellette
- & Edward H. Sargent
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution with ligand engineered all-inorganic InP and InP/ZnS colloidal quantum dots
While quantum dots show high efficiency solar-to-fuel conversion for renewable energy, the frequently toxic elements employed present severe safety concerns. Here, authors demonstrate indium phosphide quantum dots as low-toxicity alternatives alongside efficient hydrogen evolution photocatalysis.
- Shan Yu
- , Xiang-Bing Fan
- & Greta R. Patzke
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Article
| Open AccessGallium nitride nanowire as a linker of molybdenum sulfides and silicon for photoelectrocatalytic water splitting
Sunlight-harvesting materials require the clean integration of light-absorbing and catalytic components to be efficient. Here, authors link silicon photoelectrodes and molybdenum sulfide catalysts with defect-free gallium nitride nanowire to improve photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.
- Baowen Zhou
- , Xianghua Kong
- & Zetian Mi
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Article
| Open AccessIn-situ cross-linking strategy for efficient and operationally stable methylammoniun lead iodide solar cells
The stability of perovskite solar cell remains the biggest challenge that hinders its commercialization. Here Li et al. incorporate crosslinkable molecules to form a crosslinked perovskite film and increase the device operational stability by 590 times to 400 h under standard Xenon lamp without filters.
- Xiaodong Li
- , Wenxiao Zhang
- & Junfeng Fang
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Article
| Open AccessCrystalline TiO2 protective layer with graded oxygen defects for efficient and stable silicon-based photocathode
While silicon-based materials can convert sunlight directly to fuel and electricity, balancing their stability and efficiency constrains usage. Here, authors protect silicon photocathodes with crystalline titanium dioxide layers with graded oxygen defects to improve both durability and efficiency.
- Jianyun Zheng
- , Yanhong Lyu
- & Shuangyin Wang
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Article
| Open AccessTransformation from crystalline precursor to perovskite in PbCl2-derived MAPbI3
The existence of a crystalline precursor is key to perovskite film formation, but the precise chemistry of the precursor and its transformation into perovskite are poorly understood. Here, the authors identify the crystal structure and conversion chemistry of the precursor for PbCl2-derived methylammonium lead iodide perovskites.
- Kevin H. Stone
- , Aryeh Gold-Parker
- & Christopher J. Tassone
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Article
| Open AccessHalf-metallic carbon nitride nanosheets with micro grid mode resonance structure for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution
The “storage” of sunlight as a chemical fuel can provide renewable on-demand energy, although current earth-abundant materials usually show low activities. Here, authors construct a carbon nitride material whose half-metallicity and micro grid resonance structure boost light-driven H2 evolution.
- Gang Zhou
- , Yun Shan
- & Xinglong Wu
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Article
| Open AccessPhoto-generated dinuclear {Eu(II)}2 active sites for selective CO2 reduction in a photosensitizing metal-organic framework
Solar-to-chemical CO2 reduction provides a means to use light’s energy for CO2 removal and upgrading to useful products, although this photochemical conversion is challenging. Here, authors construct a Europium-containing metal-organic framework that selectively converts CO2 to formate with light.
- Zhi-Hao Yan
- , Ming-Hao Du
- & Lan-Sun Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessUnderstanding how excess lead iodide precursor improves halide perovskite solar cell performance
Excess lead iodide in the mixed halide perovskites solar cells leads to high device performance but its origin remains elusive. Here Park et al. unveil the underlying microscopic mechanism to be promoting the oriented growth of the perovskites crystals and reducing the defect concentration.
- Byung-wook Park
- , Nir Kedem
- & Sang Il Seok
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Article
| Open AccessCharge carrier-selective contacts for nanowire solar cells
Balancing the carrier selectivity and extraction by the selective contacts is of vital importance to the performance of the nanowire solar cells. Here Oener et al. employ a permanent local gate to overcome this tradeoff and substantially increase the open-circuit voltage by 335 mV.
- Sebastian Z. Oener
- , Alessandro Cavalli
- & Erik C. Garnett
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Article
| Open AccessHigh efficiency planar-type perovskite solar cells with negligible hysteresis using EDTA-complexed SnO2
The development of high efficiency planar-type perovskite solar cell has been lagging behind the mesoporous-type counterpart. Here Yang et al. modify the oxide based electron transporting layer with organic acid and obtain planar-type cells with high certified efficiency of 21.5% and decent stability.
- Dong Yang
- , Ruixia Yang
- & Shengzhong (Frank) Liu
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Article
| Open AccessNanoscale imaging of charge carrier transport in water splitting photoanodes
The performance of energy materials is affected by structural defects, as well as physicochemical heterogeneity over different length scales. Here the authors map nanoscale correlations between morphological and functional heterogeneity, quantifying the trap states limiting electronic transport in bismuth vanadate thin films.
- Johanna Eichhorn
- , Christoph Kastl
- & Francesca M. Toma
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient solar hydrogen generation in microgravity environment
While renewable energy production is a terrestrial concern, far less attention is devoted to solar-to-fuel conversion for long-term space missions. Here, the authors explore photoelectrochemical hydrogen generation in microgravity and overcome microgravity’s limitations by electrode nanostructuring.
- Katharina Brinkert
- , Matthias H. Richter
- & Hans-Joachim Lewerenz
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Article
| Open AccessBurden on hydropower units for short-term balancing of renewable power systems
Quantifying burden on hydropower units for balancing variable renewable energy sources has been uncertain and difficult. Herein Yang et al. propose a framework and characterize the burden, performance and compensation of hydropower regulation of renewable power systems.
- Weijia Yang
- , Per Norrlund
- & Urban Lundin
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Article
| Open AccessVapor transport deposition of antimony selenide thin film solar cells with 7.6% efficiency
Antimony selenide possess several advantages for solar cell applications but state-of-the-art vapor transport deposition methods suffer from poor film quality. Here Wen et al. develop a fast and cheap method to reduce the defect density by 10 times and achieve a certified power conversion efficiency of 7.6%.
- Xixing Wen
- , Chao Chen
- & Jiang Tang
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Article
| Open AccessLive cyanobacteria produce photocurrent and hydrogen using both the respiratory and photosynthetic systems
Biologically ### produced electrical currents and hydrogen are new energy sources. Here, the authors find that low presser microfluidizer treatment produced cyanobacterium that can utilize electrons from respiratory and photosynthesis to promote current and hydrogen generation, without the addition of exogenous electron mediators.
- Gadiel Saper
- , Dan Kallmann
- & Noam Adir