Artificial Leaves: Towards Bio-Inspired Solar Energy Converters

Abstract

Natural photosynthesis is considered the most vital processes that endure life on Earth. Artificial photosynthesis is a concept attracting substantial recent interest for alternative energy harvesting and storage strategies. The artificial photosynthesis derives inspiration from nature for the conversion of solar light energy into electrical power. The “artificial leaf” concept aims to capture CO2 directly and convert it into liquid solar fuels or electricity. Engineering the natural photosynthetic process to produce energy represents the major challenge in the pursuit of the creation of an artificial leaf. The various aspects that are discussed in this modules are (1) natural versus artificial photosynthesis, (2) the components of an artificial leaf, (3) the possible approaches in developing an artificial leaf, (4) recent advancements and developments in artificial leaf, (5) the challenges of artificial leaf design. Finally, an outlook is presented on the future research direction of the solar leaf technology.