By Nick
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April 12, 2022
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An artist's concept of the MOST system charging a mobile
device Photo credit: Chalmers University of Technology/Daniel Spacek/neuroncollective.com
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Called the MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) system, the
technology has been in the works for more than a decade and centers on a
specially designed molecule of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. When it comes
into contact with sunlight, the atoms within the molecule are rearranged to
change its shape and turn it into an energy-rich isomer, which can be stored in
liquid form.
The energy captured by the MOST system can be stored in
this liquid state for up to 18 years, before a specially designed catalyst
returns the molecule to its original shape and releases the energy as heat. The
Chalmers team has now collaborated with scientists at China's Shanghai Jiao
Tong University, who have used a compact thermoelectric generator to turn that
heat into electricity.
“The generator is an ultra-thin chip that could be
integrated into electronics such as headphones, smart watches and
telephones," said researcher Zhihang Wang from Chalmers University of
Technology. "So far, we have only generated small amounts of electricity,
but the new results show that the concept really works. It looks very
promising,”
![The MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) system can store solar power in liquid form]()
The MOlecular Solar Thermal (MOST) system can store solar
power in liquid form Chalmers University of Technology/Daniel
Spacek/neuroncollective.com
The proof of concept's current output is reported to be up
to 0.1 nW (power output per unit volume up to 1.3 W m−3), which might be quite
small but the scientists see big potential in their MOST system, which could
address the intermittent nature of solar energy by storing it for months or
years at a time and allow it to be tapped into on demand.
“This is a radically new way of generating electricity from
solar energy," said research leader Kasper Moth-Poulsen, Professor at the
Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Chalmers. "It means
that we can use solar energy to produce electricity regardless of weather, time
of day, season, or geographical location. It is a closed system that can
operate without causing carbon dioxide emissions.”
Having now shown that the system can be used to produce
electricity, the team is focusing on improving its performance, while working
toward an affordable commercial solution for charging gadgets and heating
homes.
“Together with the various research groups included in the
project, we are now working to streamline the system," said Kasper
Moth-Poulsen. "The amount of electricity or heat it can extract needs to
be increased. Even if the energy system is based on simple basic materials, it
needs to be adapted to be sufficiently cost-effective to produce, and thus
possible to launch more broadly."
The research was published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
Source: Chalmers University of Technology