Chinese scientists have created iridescent, sparkling succulents by absorbing colorful “afterglow” particles into the leaves and then injecting them into the leaves that emit light.
New research shows that luminescent succulents glowed for up to two hours, surpassing similar materials engineering plants. The present invention said that sustainable plant-based lighting paves the way for lightning outdoor and indoor spaces.
“Imagine a sparkling tree that replaces streetlights,” the lead author of the study, which closed Liu, a researcher at the University of Agriculture at South China, said in a statement. “The particles diffused in just a few seconds, and the entire juicy leaves glowed.”
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Researchers have previously created plants that shine in both genetic and material engineering. Genetic engineering approaches harnesses with bioluminescent genes already present in certain plants, such as phytoplankton, but these genes, according to research, have a limited range of mostly green colours. Materials engineering techniques involve injecting light-emitting particles into plant leaves to shine, but these methods have previously produced only dim light.
For strong luminescence, the light-emitting particles must be small enough to diffuse through the plant’s tissues, but they become larger enough to emit visible glow. Previous experiments using nanoparticles derived from firefly luciferase, an enzyme that produces bioluminescence in fireflies, produced a faint glow that had dropped sharply after 30 minutes.
In a new study, Liu and her colleagues used photoluminescent phosphor particles, which are the width of human red blood cells (6-8 micrometers). The micron-sized particles were large enough to produce strong glow while moving the plants freely, Li said. “Small, nano-sized particles move easily within the plant, but they are dimmers,” she said.
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The researchers published their findings in Journal Matter on Wednesday (August 27th).
Micron-sized particles worked in succulents, but not in other plants tested in the study, such as Bok Choy (Brassica Rapa chinensis) and Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Researchers used the Echeveria “Mebina” succulents. This has red-green leaves with red tips. Unlike Bok Choy and Golden Pothos, these succulents have relatively large gaps between cells. So, research shows that micron-sized particles can travel through plants.
Researchers injected phosphorus particles into the leaves of Echeveria “Mebina” and charged the plants with sunlight or indoor LED light for several minutes, resulting in the same afterglow effect in both experiments. Green particles produce the longest glow, and plants emit light for up to two hours, comparable to the brightest small night lamp.
The team produced the world’s first multicolored luminescent plant by injecting blue, green, red and blue phosphorus particles into the leaves of several succulents. Scientists also built 56 succulent plant walls that produce enough light to see nearby objects and enough light to read text in the dark, according to the statement.
“I think it’s incredible that a completely human microscale material can gather together very seamlessly with the natural structure of plants,” Li said. “The way they integrate is pretty much magic.”
Research shows that luminescent succulents could one day become low-carbon lighting solutions. Researchers hope to produce the same effect in other plants. Other plants can be exposed to sunlight and recharged like batteries to provide decorative and practical lighting.
“The process is simple and cost-effective, achieving luminescence within 10 minutes, paving the way for practical applications in plant-based lighting,” the researcher wrote in his study.
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