Sun in a bottle. How UCSB’s new “liquid battery” works.
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed a new way to store solar energy. They created a liquid that absorbs sunlight and keeps it as heat. Later, that heat can be released when needed.
The technology is called MOST — Molecular Solar Thermal. The process is simple. When sunlight hits the molecule, it changes shape and stores energy. When heat is required, it returns to its original form and releases the stored energy. This happens after mild heating or adding a catalyst.
The lead author is Professor Grace Han. Researcher Han Nguyen also worked on the project. Computational modeling was performed by Professor Ken Houk from UCLA.
How much energy it stores.
Energy density is about 1.6 megajoules per kilogram. A typical lithium-ion battery stores around 0.9 megajoules per kilogram. This means the new system can store nearly twice as much energy by weight.
It is important to note. This system stores heat, not electricity. The energy is locked inside chemical bonds.
How many cycles it can handle.
The developers have not yet published an exact number of recharge cycles for this specific molecule. This means there is no public data confirming hundreds or thousands of cycles so far. However, materials like this are usually improved over time. Scientists are working to increase stability and repeat use. If high cycle durability is achieved, the technology will become much more attractive economically.
Simple explanation.
Think of the molecule as a spring. Sunlight winds it up and stores energy. It can stay like that for months or even years. When triggered by heat or a catalyst, it releases the stored heat.
In laboratory tests, the released heat was strong enough to boil water under normal conditions.
Other promising technologies.
— Long-duration molecular storage systems.
— Phase change materials that absorb heat when melting and release it when solidifying. They can keep heat for a day or several days.
— Perovskite solar panels exceed 30 percent laboratory efficiency.
— Molten salt thermal storage is used in solar power plants to operate at night.
The technology is still in the research stage. However, it may contribute to cheaper heat in the future.
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