MIT's concrete battery just got 10 times more powerful
7 hours ago
- #energy-storage
- #sustainable-construction
- #MIT-research
- Scientists are enhancing concrete to store energy, turning it into a 'supercapacitor'.
- MIT researchers improved the storage capacity of their carbon concrete (ec3) by nearly 10 times.
- 5 cubic meters of ec3 can meet the daily energy needs of an average home.
- The updated ec3 can store over 2 kWh of energy per cubic meter, enough to run a refrigerator for a day.
- The team used FIB-SEM tomography to understand the nanocarbon black network inside ec3 and experimented with different electrolytes.
- They built a model-sized arch inspired by ancient Roman architecture to demonstrate ec3's structural and energy storage capabilities.
- The arch's LED light flickered under stress, suggesting potential for self-monitoring structural health.
- ec3 represents a step towards re-engineering common materials for clean energy storage.