Achievement

Producing a “greener” transportation fuel does not necessarily mean starting with sugarcane, corn, algae, or some other green plant. Research by Trainee G. Gardner and co-workers in the C. Dismukes group is bio-inspired, but not bio-based. They are trying to replicate in the laboratory what plants do as part of photosynthesis – to separate water molecules into their constituent hydrogen and oxygen. These gases could then be stored and used in a fuel cells that could, among other things, replace conventional fuels to power motor vehicles. Currently, water-splitting requires expensive catalysts using precious metals like platinum and iridium. Using the natural catalysts found in plants as inspiration, the Dismukes group has invented a manganese-based “black powder” that splits water much more cheaply. Intellectual property rights have been sold to a developer to commercialize the technology. The latest publications by Dismukes, Graeme, et al. have also come out in this reporting year.