Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has improved a new type of “concrete batteries” for ten times, which paves the way to use them in converting buildings, bridges and sidewalks into giant power stores capable of providing entire cities with energy.
This substance is called the carbon concrete connected to the electron – or EC³ – and is manufactured by combining cement, water, common liquid electrolyte, and very soft carbon powder called nano -carbon lions.
When mixing the ingredients together, a dense network is formed capable of carrying the electric charge. Once placed in concrete, the material and anything are built from it (whether it is buildings, bridges or sidewalks) is able to store and release energy as needed.
It is a concept known as high -capacity energy storage, and researchers hope to provide an applicable solution to one of them Renewable energyThe biggest challenges we face are: How to store energy locally when the sun is not bright or when the wind does not blow.
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In a new study published on September 29 in the magazine The facts of the National Academy of Science (PNAS)The researchers said they have achieved a ten -fold increase in the capacity of EC³ since 2023. Five cubic meters (176.5 cubic feet) of the article can now store more than 10 kilowatts of electricity – which is almost enough to operate a model house for one day.
The team said only two years ago, achieving this level of storage required nine times the size.
“With these high energy densities and the value installed across a broader application space, we now have a powerful and flexible tool that can help us process a wide range of continuous energy challenges,” the main author of the study. Damian StefaniokA research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in A. statement.
“One of our biggest motives was to help enable the transformation into renewable energy. Solar energy has been lost, for example, a long way for efficiency. However, it can only generate energy when there is enough sunlight. So, the question becomes: How can you meet your energy needs at night, or in the days of clouds?”
Building batteries
While EC³ does not match the intensity of energy for traditional batteries such as Lithium ion (Which packs more energy hundreds of times in the same weight or size), and the fact that it can be poured directly into the building components and can last throughout the duration of the structure, without Dependence on rare or toxic substancesThis makes it especially attractive to scientists.
The promotion of the new performance came from the best understanding of the interaction between the carbon network within the concrete and the electrolyte and the changes in how to manufacture the material.
Instead of soaking the material panels in the electrolyte after hardening, the researchers added the electrolyte directly to the water used in the initial mixture. This has enabled more thicker and intensive panels to use energy without prejudice to connecting.
The team also tested different types of electrolyte, including sea water, and found many applicable options. The best results came from a mixture of quad -ammonium salts – used in household disinfectants – and asymitril, a common connector solvent in industrial operations.
Block running
The most exciting thing for scientists is to realize that it only requires small changes in how to manufacture concrete to produce EC³. This is likely to open huge opportunities in sustainable construction, as the material can be used to develop what researchers called “multifunctional concrete” that can store energy, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and even repair itself.
This substance has already been tested in Japan to warm the sidewalks in snowy conditions, providing a possible alternative to road salt. The team is now developing applications in the real world, from homes that operate outside the network to parking spaces and roads that can be charged one day. Electric vehicles.
“What is most interesting is that we took an ancient substance to the concrete and showed that it could do something completely new,” a study author of the study James WeaverA associate professor of science and engineering at Cornell University said in the statement.
“By combining modern nanotechnology with an ancient building block for civilization, we open the door to infrastructure that not only supports our lives, but also provides us with energy.”