Researchers have developed a concept for a rechargeable battery based on cement—a world-first such concept that they suggest could one day turn buildings into giant energy storage facilities. The proof of concept at lab scale is an idea in its early stages, and it has challenges to overcome. But one day, the researchers in Sweden say, rechargeable cement-based batteries could result in future building materials which will have additional functions such as energy storage, 4G connections in remote areas, or cathodic protection against corrosion in concrete infrastructure. Research from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, outlined a new concept for rechargeable batteries which are made of cement. The concept, published in the scientific journal Buildings , includes a cement-based mixture with small amounts of short carbon fibers added to increase the conductivity and flexural toughness. The researchers then included metal-coated carbon fiber mesh in the cement-based mixture. In this […]