Cameroon invented energy storage bricks

Could a 'power brick' be a new energy storage device?

Researchers have transformed standard bricks into energy-storing devices, The Guardian reports, potentially adding a new function to these omnipresent construction materials. The team created these "power bricks" by utilizing the iron oxide stored in the brick that gives it a red color.

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 red bricks be used as energy storage?

It’s possible to convert red bricks, some of the world’s cheapest and most familiar building materials, into energy storage units that can be charged to hold electricity like a battery, a new study shows. The researchers have developed a method to make or modify “smart bricks” that can store energy until required for powering devices.

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.

How are power bricks made?

The team created these "power bricks" by utilizing the iron oxide stored in the brick that gives it a red color. Using chemical vapors that reacted with the iron, they deposited a layer of special conductive plastic, known as PEDOT, throughout the brick's pores.

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.