The new way of capturing energy allows it to be stored for months at room temperature, and then released when needed in the form of heat.
A team from the University of Lancaster, in the United Kingdom, confirmed the research done about 2 years ago by Japanese scientists, who synthesized an ultraporous material, which they called DMOF, an ultraporous material that can directly capture energy from the Sun and store it for future use. Looking for a job? Manserv recruits for offshore vacancy in Macaé
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“The material works a bit like phase change materials, which are used to provide heat in hand warmers […]. However, although hand warmers need to be heated to recharge them, the good thing about this material is that it captures free energy directly from the Sun”, says John Griffin, co-author of the study, quoted by the portal. science alert.
Known as a metal-organic structure (MOF), the material is formed by a network of metal ions linked by carbon-based molecules.
The new way of capturing energy allows it to be stored for months at room temperature, and then released when needed in the form of heat.
The idea is to use it to capture solar energy during the day and make it available at night, or even capture the sun's heat in summer and use it to heat homes in winter.
About MOF, the new way to store solar energy
Kieran Griffiths and his colleagues filled the pores of the DMOF-1 molecules with azobenzene, a compound that strongly absorbs light. These molecules function as photo-switches – light-actuated switches – as they are a type of “molecular machine” that can change shape when an external stimulus, such as light or heat, is applied.
The results speak for themselves: this compound was able to store ultraviolet energy for at least four months at room temperature before releasing it again, reports the study. The researchers estimate that the material has a useful life of up to four and a half years.
At the moment, more work is needed to prepare the material for widespread use. Although tests have shown that the material can retain energy for months at a time, the material's energy density is relatively low and the researchers hope to improve.
