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chemicals. These chemicals are also very expensive. New experiments are underway to split water by using sunlight as plants do. It is observed that some manganese clusters, found in green pigment chlorophyll, provide plants the ability to absorb photons from sunlight for splitting of water and forming carbohydrates with the help of carbon dioxide. But instead of creating carbohydrates, researchers have used nature's recipe to split water into its two elements.(Ref. 2) Researchers have used an electrode, coated with proton conductor. The conductor is impregnated with a form of manganese-manganese clusters, known as Cubans. Since this manganese complex is not soluble in water, researchers have overcome this problem by coating one elctrode with a special membrane called Nafion. Housed within the aqueous channels of membrane, the catalytic species is stabilized and has good access to the water molecules. Tests have shown that catalyst assembly remains active for longer period, producing hydrogen and oxygen gas with the help of sunlight and 1.2 volts of electricity. This method may revolutionize the dependence of the mankind on fossil fuels.
Reference: 1. Rain Water Harvesting in Urban Areas, Akash Ganga Trust,
Rain Centre, no. 4, 3rd Trust Link Street, Mandavclipakkam,
Chennai 28, www.raincentre.org 2. Invention Intelligence, Sep Oct 2008 p 27, N. Delhi
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