The news:
A team of Chinese researchers has determined that carbon nanotubes are the crucial chemical ingredient that could make artificial photosynthesis possible in the future.
Why it’s important:
- Such a system would comprise of a donor molecule that can absorb visible light and release many electrons, and a receiver molecule capable of accepting and storing those electrons.
- A carbon nanotube could act as the receiver molecule in artificial photosynthesis.
- The extra electrons stored in the nanotubes could be used to convert a chloroplast chemical called NADP into NADPH, which could then reduce carbon dioxide to carbohydrates.