Study Finds That Common Material Can Store And Release Waste Heat Energy

Jun, 2022 - By WMR

Researchers found that a commonly found material can reversibly and quickly store as well as release large amounts of low-grade heat without any decomposing

Heat storage materials are increasingly becoming important. However, there are only few energy storage materials that are well balanced in terms of reversibility, durability, treatability, and energy density. Now researchers at Tohoku University and the Rigaku Corporation found that a common material, manganese oxide can store and release heat on demand, which could be used for recycling industrial waste heat, as the material can exchange water with air, which allows it to rapidly absorb and release heat.

In the new study, the researchers used a layered manganese oxide mineral that comprises potassium ions and crystal water. Due to which it becomes a type of birnessite, a commonly found natural mineral showing potential in storage of energy as a catalyst for hydrolysis. The researchers develop this material into a black powder and used then used transmission electron microscopy and X-rays in order to analyze the crystal structure of this material as it was getting heated and cooled. The team found that this material efficiently stored and released heat using a mechanism called water intercalation. When this material is exposed to appropriate amount of heat the water molecules inside it get energized and then get released into the air. This material then efficiently stores the heat energy until it becomes hydrated again with humid air where it soaks up water molecules and again releases the heat.

To create this material, the scientists heated it to 392 ˚F to activate the dehydration and then cooled to 248 ˚F for releasing its stored heat when it’s exposed to humid air. The energy density of the material is more 1000 MJ/m³ with long lifetime. It takes only minutes to charge and discharge this material. According to the scientists, this material may help in capture and reuse of waste heat lost during industrial procedures.