Research and develop structure stuff that can control indoor temperature

Energy prices around the World have increased alarmingly since 2021, and heating in some places is becoming a concern. Currently, researchers at KTH - Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm are working on a construction material that can help handle indoor temperatures.

This new mixture is the product of a research team at the KTH, which uses 03 main raw materials: coconut, lemon, and wood. First, the researchers created a pore structure in the wood by removing the lignin, which also discolors the wood. The voids are then filled with limonene acrylate (which can be obtained from fruit peels) and a molecule derived from coconuts.

When the mixture heats up, such as from exposure to sunlight or increased ambient temperatures, limonene acrylate becomes a polymer, trapping the coconut molecules inside. The temperature at which the conversion occurs can be adjusted as required but was set at a comfortable 24°C for this project. This process is reversed when the material cools.

The research team said that coconut molecules can change from solid to liquid to absorb energy or from liquid to solid to release energy, similar to the way water freezes and melts. Through this conversion, the material can heat or cool its surroundings.

Although not yet ready for use in construction, a possible initial application for the "wood composite thermocell" could be as interior partitions or, because the material has a degree of transparency, as some purdah. However, the team says more research will be needed before it can be used as an exterior construction material.

It is estimated that approximately 2.5 kWh per day can be saved for every 100 kg of stuff used in building structures at an ambient temperature of 24°C.

It is a good material for glasshouse applications when the sun shines, the wood becomes transparent and stores more energy, while at night, the material becomes opaque and releases heat stored during the day. That will help reduce energy consumption for heating and, at the same time, bring about plant growth.

Source: ximang.vn