Solar Energy

Soft, Stretchable Jelly Batteries Inspired by Electric Eels

Published

6 months ago

July 19, 2024

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Soft, Stretchable Jelly Batteries Inspired by Electric Eels

by Sophie Jenkins

London, UK (SPX) Jul 18, 2024

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed innovative, stretchable “jelly batteries” with potential applications in wearable devices, soft robotics, and even brain implants for drug delivery and epilepsy treatment.

Inspired by electric eels, which use modified muscle cells known as electrocytes to generate electric shocks, the Cambridge team created these batteries with a similar layered structure. This design enables them to deliver an electric current effectively.

The new jelly batteries can stretch over ten times their original length without losing conductivity, marking the first successful combination of such high stretchability and conductivity in a single material. The findings have been published in the journal Science Advances.

These batteries are made from hydrogels, which are 3D polymer networks containing more than 60% water. The polymers are interconnected by reversible interactions that control the material’s mechanical properties.

Stephen O’Neill, the first author from Cambridge’s Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, highlighted the challenge in creating a material that is both stretchable and conductive. “It’s difficult to design a material that is both highly stretchable and highly conductive, since those two properties are normally at odds with one another,” he said. “Typically, conductivity decreases when a material is stretched.”

Co-author Dr Jade McCune from the Department of Chemistry explained, “Normally, hydrogels are made of polymers that have a neutral charge, but if we charge them, they can become conductive. And by changing the salt component of each gel, we can make them sticky and squish them together in multiple layers, so we can build up a larger energy potential.”

Unlike conventional electronics, which rely on rigid materials and electron charge carriers, these jelly batteries use ions to carry the charge, similar to electric eels.

The hydrogels’ strong adhesion is due to reversible bonds formed between layers using barrel-shaped molecules called cucurbiturils, which act like molecular handcuffs. This strong adhesion ensures that the jelly batteries can stretch without the layers separating and without losing conductivity.

Professor Oren Scherman, Director of the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis, who led the research with Professor George Malliaras from the Department of Engineering, emphasized the biomedical potential of these hydrogels. “We can customise the mechanical properties of the hydrogels so they match human tissue,” he said. “Since they contain no rigid components such as metal, a hydrogel implant would be much less likely to be rejected by the body or cause the build-up of scar tissue.”

In addition to their flexibility, the hydrogels are tough and can withstand squashing without permanent deformation. They also possess self-healing properties.

Future research will focus on testing these hydrogels in living organisms to evaluate their medical application potential.

Research Report:Highly Stretchable Dynamic Hydrogels for Soft Multilayer Electronics

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Solar Energy

Shedding light on solar farm impacts in deserts through energy meteorology

Published

21 hours ago

January 4, 2025

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Shedding light on solar farm impacts in deserts through energy meteorology

by Simon Mansfield

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 06, 2025

Utility-scale solar farms, often deployed in desert habitats, are a cost-effective way to generate power compared to rooftop solar panels. However, these large installations interact with sensitive desert ecosystems, prompting researchers to explore their environmental effects through the growing field of “energy meteorology.”

A study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences by Professor Carlos Coimbra of the University of California San Diego investigates the thermal interactions between solar farms and their surrounding environments. This work examines how solar farm operations influence local temperature and humidity and how these environmental factors affect the farms themselves.

Energy meteorology traditionally focuses on the impact of weather on power systems. Professor Coimbra’s research broadens this scope by assessing the reciprocal effects of solar plants on local climates. By calculating thermal balances specific to solar panels’ material properties, the study derives relationships between complex variables, such as convective heat transfer coefficients and radiative fluxes. These calculations enhance understanding of how solar farms modify their environments and how these modifications can be accurately measured or modeled.

Additionally, the study introduces a novel method for classifying regional microclimates based on the optical depth of cloudy atmospheres. This classification can inform solar farm design and operation, complementing conventional cloudiness and radiation indices used for resource planning.

Professor Coimbra highlights the importance of rigorous scientific inquiry into solar energy’s environmental effects. “It behooves us in the solar energy research community to answer concerns and criticisms that the solar power industry encounters with the best possible science,” he states. While the overall thermal impact of solar farms may be negligible or even positive, the research community must address discrepancies in current findings and focus on fundamental thermal processes.

This research aims to inspire both solar engineers and energy meteorologists to delve deeper into the environmental dynamics of utility-scale solar installations. As Professor Coimbra emphasizes, the study serves as a foundational guide for exploring energy meteorology’s potential to improve solar farm sustainability and environmental compatibility.

Research Report:Energy Meteorology for the Evaluation of Solar Farm Thermal Impacts on Desert Habitats

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Solar Energy

University of Maryland to develop renewable energy systems for ocean monitoring systems

Published

2 days ago

January 3, 2025

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University of Maryland to develop renewable energy systems for ocean monitoring systems

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 03, 2025

University of Maryland researcher Stephanie Lansing has been awarded $7.8 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to spearhead the development of a biologically powered energy system aimed at transforming power generation for ocean monitoring devices worldwide.

Current ocean monitoring devices, essential for understanding marine ecosystems, tracking climate change, and maintaining national security, rely heavily on lithium-ion batteries or extensive underwater cables for power. Lansing’s groundbreaking project aims to replace these conventional systems by harnessing microorganisms and specialized bacteria to fuel a marine microbial energy source capable of delivering a steady 10-watt output for over a year.

“This unique collaboration of interdisciplinary experts will produce a bioinspired system that has game-changing potential to provide direct electric power to improve sensing capabilities while protecting and limiting the impact to the environment through use of this unique bioenergy system,” explained Lansing, a professor in UMD’s Department of Environmental Science and Technology.

The system, known as the Persistent Oceanographic Device Power (PODPower), employs a sophisticated mechanism that gathers ocean microbes and organic material into a specialized fermentation chamber. Bacteria in this chamber pre-process the material into an efficient “fuel” for other bacteria colonizing the electrodes of the microbial fuel cell, generating usable electricity.

Key design features include a fish-gill-inspired collection net, a corkscrew-shaped auger for organic matter transport, and a dual cathode system to enhance energy output. These innovations are expected to overcome limitations of earlier microbial fuel cell technologies.

Funded under DARPA’s BioLogical Undersea Energy (BLUE) program, PODPower aligns with initiatives to exploit ocean biomass for sustainable power solutions. Beyond the $7.8 million allocated for Phase 1 development through 2026, an additional $3.4 million may be granted for Phase 2, aimed at generating 100 watts of power and deploying systems across multiple environments.

The project involves collaboration with experts from Battelle, George Washington University, Harvard University, UMD Baltimore County’s Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), James Madison University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Delaware, and Yokogawa Corporation of America.

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Solar Energy

Unveiling the impact of climate-driven low solar and wind energy events in China

Published

2 days ago

January 3, 2025

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Unveiling the impact of climate-driven low solar and wind energy events in China

by Clarence Oxford

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 03, 2025

A groundbreaking study spearheaded by Dr. Yue Qin and Dr. Tong Zhu from Peking University has offered critical insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics and underlying causes of compound low-solar-low-wind (LSLW) extremes in China. Through advanced climate modeling and diagnostic techniques, this research sheds light on a growing challenge for renewable energy systems.

“Our results suggest that under compound LSLW extremes, renewable energy generation could be significantly compromised,” explained Dr. Yue Qin. “Even more concerning, climate change could intensify the frequency of such events, escalating threats to China’s renewable energy supply and potentially hindering progress toward carbon neutrality.”

China’s ambitious target of carbon neutrality by 2060 hinges on expanding solar and wind energy, yet these renewable sources are inherently variable and sensitive to weather patterns. While extensive studies exist on individual renewable energy challenges, this study uniquely addresses the compounded effects of simultaneous low solar and wind energy availability, a critical but understudied issue.

The findings underscore a significant topographic influence on the occurrence of LSLW extremes, with a national average of 16.4 days annually. Particularly in eastern China, these events reduce renewable energy output by approximately 80% compared to typical conditions. Projections under various climate scenarios indicate a nationwide rise in the frequency of such events, with areas like the Tibetan Plateau and northwestern China predicted to experience substantial increases.

“In particular, a striking increase of compound LSLW extremes’ frequency occurs under SSP370 scenario with aerosol emissions increase due to the assumption of a lenient air quality policy,” said Licheng Wang, the study’s lead author. The study found that elevated aerosol levels play a major role by weakening wind speeds and reducing solar radiation.

The researchers also evaluated inter-grid electricity transmission as an adaptation strategy. Results show this approach could mitigate over 91% of the frequency and 59%-85% of the intensity of LSLW-induced energy failures. Xizang (Tibet) emerged as a key region for reducing LSLW-related renewable energy shortages across China. However, infrastructure constraints, including geographical and economic challenges, limit the development of high-voltage electricity transmission in this region. Enhancing renewable energy projects in Xizang could be vital for achieving China’s carbon neutrality goals.

Dr. Yue Qin emphasized the importance of informed planning: “By revealing the geospatial and temporal evolution of compound LSLW extremes and their underlying physical mechanisms under climate change, our study emphasizes that these events are not random but predictable. This underscores the importance of proactive preparation and mitigation to address this pressing challenge.”

Research Report:Unraveling climate change-induced compound low-solar-low-wind extremes in China