Material Store Solar Energy: A New Means To Achieve Sustainable Energy
We need to look for efficient methods for sustainable storage of energy if we aim for powering Earth with renewable energy. Researchers have come up with a certain material that could provide us precisely what we need.
the new material is referred to as MOF (Metal-Organic Framework), which has structures of carbon-based molecules formed by connecting metal ions. Most importantly, MOFs are porous in nature, hence they can form composite products with various other small particles.
That’s what the group did here, introducing particles of the light-absorbing substance azobenzene. The end product was capable of storing energy harnessed from ultraviolet light at room temperature for a minimum of 4 months before liberating it again- a huge amelioration beyond days and weeks which most light-responsive products can handle.
John Griffin, materials chemist, Lancaster University, UK stated that the product operates somewhat like phase-change products, which are employed to provide warmth in hand warmers.
Nevertheless, the amazing feature of this material is that it seizes free energy from the Sun directly whereas hand warmers require heating for recharging.
The azobenzene functions as a photoswitch – a molecular device that reacts to an outside trigger like heat or light. In the presence of ultraviolet light, the particles alter conformation while keeping their MOF pore structure intact, efficiently saving power.
When the composite MOF product is subjected to heat, it stimulates a rapid discharge of energy itself, which can be effectively utilized to heat other machines or materials.
While the product still requires few works to be made marketable, it can further be utilized as a source for heating off-grid areas, or provide warmth for offices and homes, or to thaw car windscreens. Photoswitches like this even have applications in drug delivery and data storage.
Griffin claimed that the products additionally have no electronic or mobile components and therefore there is no shortage involved in the release of solar energy and its storage. He added that they aim for developing other materials that can store even more energy with further progression.
While previous studies have also explored the options for storing solar energy using photoswitches, normally they need to be kept in fluids. Changing to a MOF composite solid implies the system is less complicated to store and has better chemical stability too.
Currently, more studies are to be done to introduce MOF material into the market for its widespread usage. Even though examinations revealed it might store the energy for months at a time, the energy density of the product is quite low, which is one sector the scientists are wishing to improve.
The positive aspect of this is that there are various ways which scientists can employ to alter for ameliorating the results-which will possibly result in another reliable and economical means for storing sustainable energy.
Nathan Halcovitch, X-ray technician, Lancaster University mentioned that their method invites for numerous optimization strategies for these materials either by altering the porous host framework or the photoswitch itself.
The study has been issued in Chemistry of Materials.
Material store solar energy
Author : Geema George
