Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced they had found a way to combine cement, carbon black, and water to construct a supercapacitor. The researchers said their supercapacitor could be integrated into a house’s concrete foundation to store a day’s worth of energy.
Additionally, the supercapacitor would have minimal impact on foundation cost while maintaining structural integrity; adding more carbon black could enhance energy storage but would slightly affect concrete strength. Other possible applications include embedding the supercapacitor within a concrete road for contactless recharging of electric vehicles (EVs).
The innovation involves a technique for creating a cement-based material that features a high internal surface area. The researchers achieved it by blending carbon black with cement power and water, then letting it cure. The water created a network of branching openings where carbon migrated, resulting in wire-like structures in the cement.
Admir Masic, an MIT professor, commended the process for its reproducibility and use of affordable, easily accessible materials.
The researchers estimate that a 45-cubic-meter block of nanocarbon-black-doped concrete could hold approximately 10 kilowatt-hours of energy. The battery alternative also boasts faster charging and discharging capabilities. According to MIT professor Franz-Josef Ulm, the system’s scalability is attributed to its energy storage, which is directly proportional to the electrode volume.
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