Splitting water: Nanoscale imaging yields key insights: Researchers another step closer to reaping fuel from sunlight

In the quest to realize artificial photosynthesis to convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into fuel -- just as plants do -- researchers need to not only identify materials to efficiently perform photoelectrochemical water splitting, but also to understand why a certain material may or may not work. Now scientists have pioneered a technique that uses nanoscale imaging to understand how local, nanoscale properties can affect a material's macroscopic performance.