'Artificial leaf' can heal itself, produce energy

World's first practical "artificial leaf" has gained another innovative feature - ability to self-heal damage that occurs during production of energy. It makes device even more suitable for providing people in developing countries with electricity, said scientists.

World's first practical "artificial leaf" has gained another innovative feature - ability to self-heal damage that occurs during production of energy. It makes device even more suitable for providing people in developing countries with electricity, said scientists.

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Daniel G Nocera, leader of the research team, explained that the "leaf" mimics the ability of real leaves to produce energy from sunlight and water. The device, however, actually is a simple catalyst-coated wafer of silicon, rather than a complicated reproduction of the photosynthesis in real leaves.