Scientists have found a way to produce clean energy out of thin air—as long as it’s got some moisture in it—using a new type of paint. The paint is made up of synthetic molybdenum-sulphide, which helps it absorb solar energy and collect moisture. The compound catalyzes the splitting of water vapor into oxygen and hydrogen. According to the study authors, this solar paint can turn an ordinary brick wall into a clean energy source – and it doesn’t even need that much moisture; any amount of water vapor in the air would do. This system can be used in dry, hot ocean climates, where the seawater is evaporated by the hot sunlight and the vapor can then be absorbed to produce fuel.
Authors:
Torben Daeneke*†⊥ , Nripen Dahr†⊥, Paul Atkin†, Rhiannon M. Clark†, Christopher J. Harrison†, Robert Brkljača‡, Naresh Pillai†, Bao Yue Zhang†, Ali Zavabeti†, Samuel J. Ippolito†, Kyle J. Berean†, Jian Zhen Ou†, Michael S. Strano§ , and Kourosh Kalantar-zadeh
Corresponding author:
Torben Daeneke, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, Email: torben.daeneke@rmit.edu.au.
Original paper published in ACS Nano on June 14, 2017.
