Wednesday 12 August 2020

Washington University scientists unveil bricks able to charge devices

Scientists from Washington University in St. Louis have discovered a way to transform red bricks into charging points for powering devices.

Their research aimed to prove that a brick worth 65 US cents can be 'easily' turned into an energy storage device called a supercapacitor.

The scientific team enabled the bricks to hold electricity like batteries by covering them with a coating comprised of nanofibers that penetrate the inside of brick - this polymer coating serves as an ion sponge, which stores and conducts electricity.

The red colour of the brick, which stems from iron oxide, or rust, is essential for triggering the polymerisation reaction.

The research also estimated a total of 50 bricks connected with solar cells could be enough to power emergency lighting for five hours.

Julio D'Arcy, Assistant Professor of Chemistry said: "Our method works with regular brick or recycled bricks, and we can make our own bricks as well.

"Advantageously, a brick wall serving as a supercapacitor can be recharged hundreds of thousands of times within an hour. If you connect a couple of bricks, microelectronics sensors would be easily powered."