Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
Published on: December 3, 2019
Energetic efficiency of hydrogen photoevolution by algal water splitting
Abstract:
Absolute thermodynamic efficiencies of conversion of light energy into chemical-free energy of molecular hydrogen by intact microalgae have been measured with an original physical measuring technique using a tin-oxide semiconducting gas sensor. Thin films of microalgae comprising of 5 to 20 cellular monolayers have been entrapped on filter paper, thereby constraining them in a well-defined circular geometry. Based on absolute light absorption of visible polychromatic illumination in the low-intensity region of the light saturation curve, conversion efficiencies of 6 to 24% have been obtained. These values are the highest ever measured for hydrogen evolution by green algae.
Related Concept Videos
Oxygenic Photosynthesis
The Z-Scheme of Electron Transport in Photosynthesis
Anoxygenic Photosynthesis
Photosystem II
The pigment molecules are arranged across two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
Biofuels
Photosystems
Functioning of Photosystems
Photosystems contain many pigment molecules, such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, arranged in a particular organization across two domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...
