Academics at the University of Cambridge, Tokyo and Edinburgh have developed an artificial photosynthesis device which can mimic a plant’s ability to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into a carbon neutral fuel, without the need for any input electricity. Results of the research, published in the journal Nature Energy detail a ‘photosheet’ technology, which uses semi-conductors and absorber powders to create an electric current at the device’s surface, which breaks up carbon dioxide molecules, causing oxidation and reduction reactions to produce both oxygen and fuel in the form of liquid formic acid, which can also be converted into fuels like Syngas or hydrogen. Through this preliminary study, the study achieved a solar energy to formate efficiency of around…