Recently, a ‘biomimetic nanoleaf electrocatalyst’ has been developed with the ability to produce hydrogen energy, an ecofriendly clean energy, by mimicking the photosynthesis mechanism of leaves.
A team led by Professor Yong Ki-jung (CE) and Dr. Chen Bin, succeeded in developing a ‘Nanoleaf catalyst’ that catalyzes the production of oxygen in the process of water decomposition which produces hydrogen energy by mimicking the leaves of monocotyledons for the first time. It has been confirmed that the nano leaf catalyst has an improved catalyst activity up to 9.3 times compared to the previous catalyst.
To earn hydrogen energy, water must be broken down into oxygen and hydrogen. Water decomposition reactions are carried out by hydrogen and oxygen generation catalysts, and the fundamental technology is to develop a catalyst that speeds up oxygen generation, the relatively unreactive reaction.
The research team developed ‘nanoleaf’ that mimic the advantages of real-life leaves based on the efficient transfer of water and nutrients through the parallel leaf veins. The catalyst is the combination of ‘ultrathin NiCo layered double hydroxide (LDH) lamina’, which mimics the leaf body structure that causes photosynthesis, and ‘CuO nanowire veins’, which mimic leaf veins that carry water and nutrients. 
“With the development of the nanoleaf catalyst, we can essentially catalyse the oxygen generation reactions, which are the most difficult in water decomposition reactions,” said Prof. Yong.