Scientists set out to turn concrete structures – walls of buildings and structural elements – into batteries. Success was followed by researchers in Sweden who proposed and tested the world’s first cement-based battery concept in the laboratory. In the future, this will help store electricity in the walls of buildings and power numerous sensors for monitoring the state of structures and more. This is also useful for renewable energy.
It is not the first time that cement has been seen as a material for creating batteries. For example, cement manufacturers in Japan explore the possibility of using it in battery cathode and anode materials. Scientists from the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden went further – they proposed using cement (concrete) as a storage device for electrical energy.
For filling electrodes with a mixture based on cement, a conductive composition based on carbon fibers in a ratio of 0.5% by volume has been proposed. First, a cathode layer based on a nickel-coated carbon grid is poured. A layer for impregnation with electrolyte, and, finally, an anode layer is created on the iron-coated carbon grid.
The capacity of the experimental battery pack created was a modest 7 Wh / m 2 or 0.8 Wh / L. This is three orders of magnitude less than today’s commercial lithium batteries. But the huge volumes of building structures will more than cover this disadvantage. However, while the cement-based battery has been tested with only six charge and discharge cycles and in the form of walls and structures, it will have to work for decades.
Scientists acknowledge that a cement-based battery for construction requires significant improvements both in itself and in terms of new approaches to architectural design. For example, replaceable building sections can be provided to replace a spent battery section. But these are all resolvable issues. Scientists have made their proposal, and we expect a reaction from builders and architects.