Chemists at UC Santa Barbara report a new molecule called pyrimidone that captures sunlight and stores it in chemical bonds. The molecule changes shape when it absorbs light and can return to a relaxed shape to release heat.
The design builds on Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) storage and takes inspiration from a component of DNA that changes under UV light. The researchers made a compact, reversible version that can be used many times. In experiments, the released heat was strong enough to boil water under normal conditions.
The material dissolves in water, so it could be pumped through roof-mounted solar collectors to charge during the day and stored in tanks for night use. Possible applications include off-grid camping heating and home water heating.
Difficult words
- molecule — small group of atoms that forms a substance
- bond — link between atoms in a moleculebonds
- absorb — take in light or energyabsorbs
- reversible — able to change back to original state
- dissolve — mix into a liquid and disappeardissolves
- solar collector — device that gathers sunlight for energysolar collectors
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Discussion questions
- Would you use this material for home water heating? Why or why not?
- How could off-grid campers use a heat-storing liquid like this?
- What worries or interests you about a material that dissolves in water?
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