Credit: Image courtesy of Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis
In this microfluidic water electrolysis device, the channels in which oxygen and hydrogen are generated by splitting water are separated by a chemically inert wall (red). The conduction of protons from one channel to the other, which is required for continuous operation, occurs via a NafionĀ® membrane cap (blue). The size of the microfluidic device (total width and height of the pictured components) is similar to the diameter of a single human hair.