New Method Generates Power From Seawater

                Scientists have used sunlight to efficiently turn seawater into hydrogen peroxide, which can then be used in fuel cells to generate electricity. It is the first photo-catalytic method of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production that achieves a high enough efficiency so that the H₂O₂ can be used in a fuel cell. Researchers developed a new photo-electro chemical cell, which is basically a solar cell that produces H₂O₂. When sunlight illuminates the photo-catalyst, it absorbs photons and uses the energy to initiate chemical reactions in a way that ultimately produces H₂O₂. After illuminating the cell for 24 hours, the concentration of H₂O₂ in the seawater reached about 48 Millimolar. Researchers found that the negatively charged chlorine in seawater is mainly responsible for enhancing the photo-catalytic activity. The system has a total solar-to-electricity efficiency of 0.28%.