Taiwan scientists develop nano-leaves instead of street lights for energy saving and environmental protection

Scientists from Taiwan’s Taipei Central Research Institute and Tainan’s “National” Successful University have implanted glowing sea urchin-shaped gold nanoparticles, known as bioluminescent diodes, in the leaves of a plant. The green fluorescence replaces the golden light emitted by the street lights.

This new nanoparticle emits light biologically, unlike current street lights that require current. In addition, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere 24 hours a day. In an interview with Chemical World, Yen-Hsun Su said: “In the future, bioluminescent diodes can be used to make trees beside the road to fluoresce at night. Because the light emitted by bioluminescent diodes can promote chloroplast photosynthesis, Therefore, this method not only saves energy but also absorbs carbon dioxide."

This golden sea urchin-shaped nanoparticle is the key to transforming a material in the leaves that is normally used to absorb light into a luminescent material. It is well known that pigments that promote the photosynthesis of plants with green leaves, chlorophyll, can absorb light of specific wavelengths. However, in special circumstances, such as exposure to ultraviolet light, chlorophyll itself can also emit light. When exposed to light with a wavelength of approximately 400 nanometers, the green chlorophyll emits red light.

However, it is not easy to get purple light, especially at night, and the glowing leaves provide lighting for drivers and passers-by. Scientists need a violet light source and eventually they find it in gold nanoparticles. When shorter wavelengths of light that are invisible to the human eye come into contact with gold nanoparticles, they emit violet light under stimulation. Violet hits nearby chlorophyll molecules and stimulates chlorophyll to produce red light.

The research was published in the magazine Nanoscale. Scientists hope that trees treated with gold nanoparticles will generate enough light to replace electricity or gas powered street lights. However, the scientist of the University of Maryland, Crishano Ray, said that this achievement is only limited to their test subject - the aquatic plant tiger ear. However, it is not impossible to extend it to terrestrial plants such as trees on both sides of the street. Lei said: "Of course, they can be used as street lights, but there is still a long way to go to realize this dream."