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MIT researchers have turned ancient material into a source of power.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created an innovative supercapacitor using cement, soot and water. This device has the potential to provide an affordable and scalable solution for storing energy from renewable sources.
The new energy storage system is based on two historically common materials: cement and carbon black. The researchers found that by combining them with water, they can create a supercapacitor that can store electrical energy. An interesting application of the technology may be the inclusion of a supercapacitor in the concrete base of the house, which will allow you to store energy for the whole day without increasing the cost of the foundation.
Details of this technology are described in an article in the PNAS journal by MIT professors Franz-Josef Ulm, Admir Masich, Yang-Shao Horn and others.
A key feature of the new supercapacitors is the method of producing a cement-based material with a very high internal surface, achieved thanks to a dense network of conductive material inside its volume. These structures resemble fractals, having a huge area with a relatively small volume.
According to the team's calculations, a block of such concrete measuring 45 cubic meters could store approximately 10 kWh of energy — the average daily consumption of a household. This concrete retains its strength, which makes it possible to integrate supercapacitors into the structural elements of buildings.
In addition, supercapacitors made from this material could be used to create roads that store energy from solar panels and carry out wireless charging of electric vehicles.
Ulm emphasizes that the system is scalable: "You can go from 1 mm thick electrodes to 1 m thick, thereby scaling the energy storage capacity from LED illumination for a few seconds to providing energy to the whole house." You can also customize the system by changing the composition, depending on the desired properties.
Ulm sees this as "a new perspective on the future of concrete as part of the energy transition."
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created an innovative supercapacitor using cement, soot and water. This device has the potential to provide an affordable and scalable solution for storing energy from renewable sources.
The new energy storage system is based on two historically common materials: cement and carbon black. The researchers found that by combining them with water, they can create a supercapacitor that can store electrical energy. An interesting application of the technology may be the inclusion of a supercapacitor in the concrete base of the house, which will allow you to store energy for the whole day without increasing the cost of the foundation.
Details of this technology are described in an article in the PNAS journal by MIT professors Franz-Josef Ulm, Admir Masich, Yang-Shao Horn and others.
A key feature of the new supercapacitors is the method of producing a cement-based material with a very high internal surface, achieved thanks to a dense network of conductive material inside its volume. These structures resemble fractals, having a huge area with a relatively small volume.
According to the team's calculations, a block of such concrete measuring 45 cubic meters could store approximately 10 kWh of energy — the average daily consumption of a household. This concrete retains its strength, which makes it possible to integrate supercapacitors into the structural elements of buildings.
In addition, supercapacitors made from this material could be used to create roads that store energy from solar panels and carry out wireless charging of electric vehicles.
Ulm emphasizes that the system is scalable: "You can go from 1 mm thick electrodes to 1 m thick, thereby scaling the energy storage capacity from LED illumination for a few seconds to providing energy to the whole house." You can also customize the system by changing the composition, depending on the desired properties.
Ulm sees this as "a new perspective on the future of concrete as part of the energy transition."
