Researchers at Penn State’s Materials Research Institute came up with a way of using glass to store energy at high temperatures and for high power applications, such as electric car power electronics, wind turbines, grid-tied photovoltaics or geothermal exploration and drilling.

 

In a recent paper in the journal Energy Technology, postdoctoral researcher and lead author Mohan Manoharan identified 10-micron thick glass from Nippon Electric Glass (NEG) as having an ideal combination of high energy density and power density, with high charge-discharge efficiency at temperatures up to 180 C and, in more recent experiments, even higher.

 

Partnering with NEG leverages the investment of leading glass manufacturers in developing the processes to create continuous sheets of glass with less thickness and fewer defects. Working with State College-based Strategic Polymer Sciences, the researchers are developing the capability to produce inexpensive roll-to-roll glass capacitors with high energy density (35 J/cc3) and high reliability.

 

In work funded by the Department of Energy, Manoharan and the Penn State team led by Michael Lanagan, professor of engineering science and mechanics, are collaborating with Strategic Polymer Sciences to coat the glass with high temperature polymers that increase energy density by 2.25 times compared to untreated glass, and also significantly increase self-healing capabilities. Self-healing or graceful failure is an important consideration in applications where reliability is a critical factor.