Can bricks be used as energy storage devices?

Now, chemists have discovered new potential in these ubiquitous building blocks: Through a series of reactions, scientists have shown that conventional bricks can be transformed into energy storage devices powerful enough to turn on LED lights. The findings were published Tuesday in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Are energy-storing bricks a smart fabric?

Vibha Kalra, a chemical and biomolecular engineer at Drexel University, likens the concept of the energy-storing bricks to smart fabrics where devices are embedded into wearable materials. “There is merit in integrating energy storage and smart devices into commonly used systems and materials, saving the extra volume or weight,” she says.

Can bricks save energy?

To unleash their energy storage potential, the researchers said they capitalized on bricks’ natural structure. “We took advantage of what bricks offer, and what they offer is a porous network and a very strong material,” D’Arcy said.

Can bricks hold electricity?

Bricks have been prized by architects for their aesthetic appeal and capacity to store heat, but using them to hold electricity has never been tried before, D’Arcy said. To unleash their energy storage potential, the researchers said they capitalized on bricks’ natural structure.

How do bricks store electricity?

To allow the bricks to store electricity, the researchers pumped a series of gases through the maze of pores inside the brick. The gases react with the brick’s chemical components, coating them with a web of plastic nanofiber known as a PEDOT, which is a good conductor of electricity, he said.

Are energy-storing bricks worth the cost?

The energy-storing bricks are strong enough to be made into decorative, but not load-bearing, walls, D’Arcy says. A coated brick costs three times the standard price of a brick, which is 65 cents. But D’Arcy says scaling up the process should bring down the cost.