Researchers at Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology have designed an energy system to store solar energy in liquid form for up to 18 years.
Simulating charging a mobile phone using the MOST system
By connecting to an ultra-thin thermal generator, the team demonstrated that the system can generate electricity, laying the foundation for charging electronic devices using solar energy on demand. The technology, called Molecular Solar Thermal Systems (MOST), has been developed for more than a decade and focuses on specially designed molecules such as carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. When exposed to sunlight, the atoms inside the molecule arrange themselves to change its shape and convert it into energy-rich isoforms (organic compounds with the same molecular formula) that can be stored in liquid form. The energy collected by the
MOST system can be stored in the liquid state for up to 18 years before the catalyst transfers the molecules to their original shape and releases the energy as heat. Chalmers' research group is collaborating with scientists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. They use a compact thermal generator to convert heat into electricity. The findings were published in the journal Cell Reports Science.
Wang Zhihang, a researcher at Chalmers University of Technology, said: "The transformer is an ultra-thin chip that can be integrated into electronic devices such as avatar headphones, smart watches and phones. "So far, we have only produced small amounts of electricity, But new results show that the design does work. The results are very promising.
The model currently demonstrating the concept has a capacity of 0.1 nanometers (one watt equals one billion nanowatts), which seems quite small, but scientists have discovered great potential for MOST systems that can help by storing them for months or years and using them as needed. Addressing the disruptive nature of solar energy.
According to research group leader Casper Moss-Poulsen, Professor at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, this is a new way of producing solar power. Regardless of the weather, time of day, season, or geographic location, we can harness the power of the sun to generate electricity. MOST is a closed system that produces no CO2 emissions.
After demonstrating that the system could generate electricity, the team focused on improving performance while developing affordable commercial solutions for charging electrical equipment and indoor heating.
