Cement-based batteries can solve energy storage problems

According to a report from China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation on May 24, 2021, researchers have developed a cement-based rechargeable battery concept.

This proof of concept at the laboratory scale is an early stage idea, and this concept has challenges to overcome.

A study by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden outlined a new concept of a rechargeable battery made of cement.

Chalmers University of Technology said in a statement: "Compared with commercial batteries, the energy density of this battery is still very low, but due to the large size of the battery when used in buildings, this limitation can be overcome.

The researchers said that the most important feature of this cement-based battery is rechargeable.

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The concept developed at the laboratory scale still needs to overcome many challenges in order to become a viable solution to the world's energy storage problems in the energy transition, and to promote smart cities to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

According to the researchers themselves, before the idea of ​​rechargeable cement-based batteries enters the commercialization stage, there are still many technical issues in this concept that need to be resolved.

Scientists said that if the concept of cement-based batteries can be used in real life, extending the service life of cement-based batteries and developing recycling technologies are key technical issues that need to be resolved.

"Because concrete infrastructure can usually be used for 50 or even 100 years, the battery needs to be improved to match this standard, or easier to replace and recycle at the end of its life.

Tang Luping, a professor in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Chalmers University of Technology, said: “We believe that this concept will provide more functions for future building materials, such as renewable energy.

If the novel concept of cement-based batteries of this university can surpass the proof of concept under laboratory conditions, then one day it will not only produce energy-saving but also energy-generating buildings, which will help achieve emission reduction targets and Provide power for the smart city of the future.

Li Jun compiled from the oil price network

The original text is as follows:

Cement-Based Batteries Could Solve The Energy Storage Problem

Researchers have developed a concept for a rechargeable battery based on cement—a world-first such concept that they suggest could one day turn buildings into giant energy storage facilities.

The proof of concept at lab scale is an idea in its early stages, and it has challenges to overcome.

Research from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, outlined a new concept for rechargeable batteries which are made of cement.

　　"The energy density is still low in comparison to commercial batteries, but this limitation could be overcome thanks to the huge volume at which the battery could be constructed when used in buildings," the Chalmers University of Technology said in a statement.

　　The most important quality of the concept cement-based battery is that it is rechargeable, the researchers say.
Potential applications of such batteries could be in energy storage, powering LEDs, or providing 4G connections in remote areas.

　　“It could also be coupled with solar cell panels for example, to provide electricity and become the energy source for monitoring systems in highways or bridges, where sensors operated by a concrete battery could detect cracking or corrosion,” said Doctor Emma Zhang, formerly of the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology, and now Senior Development Scientist at Delta of Sweden.

　　The concept developed at a lab scale still has many challenges to overcome to become a viable approach to solving the world's energy storage problem in the energy transition and the push for smart cities that could conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

　　According to the researchers themselves, there are many technical issues in the concept that should be solved before the idea of ​​rechargeable cement-based batteries could move to the stage of commercialization.

　　The extension of the service life of cement-based batteries and the development of techniques for recycling them are the key technical questions that need to be solved if the concept can work in real life, the scientists say.

　　“Since concrete infrastructure is usually built to last fifty or even a hundred years, the batteries would need to be refined to match this, or to be easier to exchange and recycle when their service life is over.
For now, this offers a major challenge from a technical point of view," Emma Zhang said.

　　Still, the researchers believe that their innovative concept battery could contribute to the future of construction and energy.

　　"We are convinced this concept makes for a great contribution to allowing future building materials to have additional functions such as renewable energy sources," said Luping Tang, Professor at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the Chalmers University of Technology.

　　If the university's novel concept of a cement-based battery could be advanced beyond a proof of concept in lab conditions, it could one day lead to not only energy-efficient but energy-generating buildings that could help emission reduction goals and power the future smart cities.