In a significant advance for the clean energy transition, scientists at South Korea’s Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) have developed a modular artificial leaf capable of producing hydrogen directly from sunlight and water—without any external power supply or carbon emissions. This breakthrough could offer a viable route to industrial-scale green hydrogen generation, long considered the ‘holy grail’ of renewable energy.

Designed to mimic the elegance of natural photosynthesis, the artificial leaf sidesteps conventional solar-to-hydrogen systems that rely on electricity generated from photovoltaic panels. Instead, it employs a direct photoelectrochemical (PEC) approach, in which sunlight is converted straight into chemical energy, making the entire process more streamlined, energy-efficient and spatially compact.

Until now, the path to commercial-scale PEC hydrogen production has been littered with scientific hurdles—chief among them, poor durability, low efficiency, and scalability limitations. The UNIST team, led by Professors Jae Sung Lee, Sang Il Seok, and Ji Wook Jang, has tackled these issues head-on using a combination of advanced materials and smart engineering.

Their modular 4×4 artificial leaf array uses a chlorine-doped perovskite as a light-absorbing layer, bolstered by a nickel-iron-cobalt catalyst to accelerate hydrogen evolution. The system achieved an unprecedented 11.2% solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency—setting a new benchmark for module-level PEC devices.

What sets this system apart is not just its efficiency, but its robustness. The modules retained 99% of their original performance after 140 hours of continuous operation under ambient sunlight and humidity—conditions that often degrade conventional PEC systems. The researchers credit this stability to UV-resistant transport layers and protective coatings on the catalytic surface.

Importantly, the modular design enables the system to be scaled into larger panels, akin to commercial solar farms—a vital requirement if the technology is to be deployed in energy-hungry sectors such as transportation, chemicals, and steel.

As the race to decarbonize intensifies, innovations like UNIST’s artificial leaf could be instrumental in reshaping the economics and infrastructure of the global hydrogen economy. It brings the vision of decentralized, carbon-free fuel production—using just sunlight and water—closer to reality.

Source:

UNIST Develops Scalable Artificial Leaf for Green Hydrogen | Fuel Cells Works

UNIST develops scalable artificial leaf for green hydrogen production