Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created an innovative supercondenser using cement, soot, and water. This device has the potential to provide an affordable and scalable solution for storing energy from renewable sources.
The basis for the new energy storage system consists of two historically common materials: cement and soot. By combining them with water, researchers have developed a supercondenser capable of storing electric energy. An interesting application of this technology is the integration of a supercondenser into the concrete foundation of a house, which could store energy throughout the day without increasing the cost of the foundation.
The details of this technology are described in an article published in the journal PNAS by MIT professors Franz Joseph Ulm, Admir Masich, Yang-Shao Horn, and others.
The key feature of the new supercondenser is the production method of cement-based material with a remarkably high internal surface, achieved through a dense network of conductive material within its volume. These structures resemble fractals, providing a huge surface area with a relatively small volume.
According to the team’s calculations, a block of this concrete with a size of 45 cubic meters could store approximately 10 kWh of energy, which is the average daily consumption of a household. The strength of this concrete allows for the integration of supercondensers into structural elements of buildings.
In addition, supercondensers made from this material could be used to create roads that can accumulate energy from solar panels and facilitate wireless charging of electric vehicles.
Ulm emphasizes the scalability of the system, stating that “you can move from electrodes with a thickness of 1 mm to 1 m, thereby scaling the capacity of the energy storage from LED backlighting for a few seconds to the energy needs of an entire house.” The system can also be customized by changing the composition based on the desired properties.
Ulm sees this innovation as “a new perspective on the future of concrete within the framework of the energy transition.”