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Concrete may soon do more than support a built environment — it could help power it. According to TechXplore, a new research at MIT has significantly advanced the performance of energy-storing concrete, known as electron-conducting carbon concrete or ec³. This innovative material stores and releases electrical energy, effectively transforming structural components like walls and sidewalks into large-scale supercapacitors.
The latest version of ec³ achieves an almost tenfold increase in energy storage capacity compared to earlier designs, thanks to an optimized electrolyte mix and changes in the way the material is manufactured. The improvement means that powering the daily energy needs of a typical home now requires only around 5 cubic meters of ec³, down from 45 cubic meters — a shift from the size of a basement to just a single wall.
At the heart of this leap is a better understanding of how carbon black nanoparticles create conductive pathways within the concrete. Using FIB-SEM tomography (a high-resolution imaging technique) researchers reconstructed the internal nanostructure of ec³. They discovered a web-like, fractal network surrounding the material’s pores, enabling effective electrolyte interaction and improved electrical flow.
This insight allowed researchers to explore new electrolyte combinations. Notably, organic electrolytes containing quaternary ammonium salts and acetonitrile delivered the best results. A cubic meter of this version can store over 2 kilowatt-hours of energy — enough to run a refrigerator for a full day.
The team also refined how electrolytes are introduced into the material. Instead of soaking concrete electrodes after curing, they now mix the electrolyte into the water before casting. This method not only simplifies production but allows for thicker, higher-capacity electrodes.
Beyond energy storage, ec³ may offer other functionalities, such as structural monitoring. In a demonstration, a small ec³ arch powered an LED light. When pressure increased, the light flickered — possibly indicating real-time stress changes in the structure.
With its scalability, durability, and compatibility with existing construction methods, ec³ presents a promising tool for integrating energy storage directly into infrastructure. Future applications could include self-charging roads, off-grid buildings, and support structures for renewable energy systems, such as offshore wind farms.
As development continues, ec³ represents a shift in how we think about both energy and infrastructure. By embedding storage capabilities into the materials already used at scale in construction, this technology offers a practical and potentially low-impact path to support renewable energy systems. The progress made so far suggests that energy-storing concrete could play a meaningful role in reducing reliance on traditional batteries and expanding the functionality of the built environment.
