Source:
Angela Belcher, the Germeshausen Professor of
Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering,
demonstrates a
virus-templated catalyst solution used in harnessing
energy from water.
Photo: Dominick Reuter
http://web.mit.edu/press/2010/virus-water
Je cite: A team of researchers at MIT has just announced that they have successfully modified a virus to split apart molecules of water, paving the way for an efficient and non-energy intensive method of producing hydrogen fuel. 'The team, led by Angela Belcher, the Germeshausen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering, engineered a common, harmless bacterial virus called M13 so that it would attract and bind with molecules of a catalyst (the team used iridium oxide) and a biological pigment (zinc porphyrins). The viruses became wire-like devices that could very efficiently split the oxygen from water molecules. Over time, however, the virus-wires would clump together and lose their effectiveness, so the researchers added an extra step: encapsulating them in a microgel matrix, so they maintained their uniform arrangement and kept their stability and efficiency.'
En gros ils ont modifié un virus (inoffensif ...) afin qu'il contienne les composants nanométriques qui entrent dans la scission de la molécule de l'eau en Hydrogène et Oxygène tel que c'est fait dans la photosynthèse ... mais sans lumière.
Mise à part les précautions d'usage ... encore l'homme qui joue à Dieu, etc ... si tout reste sous contrôle, et quand on aura plus de données sur la quantité de production possible (et son prix), ça peut aider à créer de l'énergie "propre".