MASSACHUSETTS: Scientists have created a new type of energy-storing cement capable of turning an entire house into a giant battery.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found that by adding a material called carbon black to a mixture of water and cement, the building material can be used as a supercapacitor.
Generally, supercapacitors can be charged and discharged very efficiently but are not capable of storing energy for long periods of time. So while they don’t have the capacity of a traditional lithium-ion battery, they are an effective way to store excess electricity created by renewable energy sources.
The technology was first introduced last year, but the team has now developed the idea of an active concrete battery. MIT researchers are trying to create a 45-cubic meter that would be capable of generating the energy needed to power a home.
According to the researchers, the material could be built into the concrete foundations of homes at no extra cost, while it could also be built around walls to wirelessly charge electric vehicles.
