SHENYANG,Feb.28(Xinhua)--Chinesescientists,alongwiththeirinternationalcounterparts,havedevelopedabrand-newtypeof"artificialleaf,"aliquidmetal-embracedphotoactivefilm.Itharnessessolarenergytoproducehydrogenthroughdirectwatersplitting,pavingthewayforscalableproduction.TheresearchteamledbyProf.LiuGangfromtheInstituteofMetalResearch,ChineseAcademyofSciences,recentlypublishedtheirresearchinNatureCommunications,aninternationalacademicjournal.Thefilm,similartoanaturalleaf,convertssolarenergydirectlyintoachemicalfuel,holdinggreatpromiseindirectsolar-to-hydrogenenergyconversion.Thisdevelopmentisparticularlypromisingunderthecontextofthecarbon-neutralinitiative,accordingtotheresearchteam.Tofabricatetheserobustphotoactivefilms,scientistsdevelopedanewparticle-implantingtechniquethatembedssemiconductorphoto-absorbersintheliquidmetal.ThismethoddrawsinspirationfromthefactthatphotosystemsIIandI,whichdrivephotosynthesisinleavesandareembeddedwithinthethylakoidmembranesofchloroplasts.Undervisiblelightirradiation,itsphotocatalyticactivityforwatersplittingtoproducehydrogenis2.9timesthatoftraditionalfilms.Furthermore,itcanworkcontinuouslyforoverahundredhourswithoutattenuation."Anaddedbenefitofsuchfilmsisthatawiderangeoflow-melting-pointmetalsandsemiconductorscanbeused,andallmaterialsusedcanbeeasilyrecycledviaultra-sonicationinhotwater,"saidLiu."Allinall,thisnewtechniquepromisesalow-costscalableprocessingrouteforsolarenergyconversiondevicesandapplications."Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.