Tackling Climate Change Requires Not Only Efforts Like Renewable Energy - But Also The Abolition Of Existing Processes Now, Engineers Have Developed A Way To Use The Emitted Soot To Improve Solar Thermal Equipment, So As To Make It Not Only Cheaper To Produce, But Also More Effective Than Using Materials Such As Graphene
Collecting Energy From The Sun Does Not Necessarily Involve Only Photovoltaic Solar Cells - Collecting Its Heat Can Also Be Used To Generate Electricity, Purify Water, Cook Food Or Warm Buildings. The Best Material To Absorb This Heat Is Dark, So Different Forms Of Carbon Are Most Often Used, Including Graphene Or Carbon Nanotubes, Which Are Used To Make Some Of The Darkest Materials On Earth.
The Problem Is That Mass Production Of These Carbon Materials Can Be Cumbersome And Expensive. So In This New Study, Researchers At The University Of Houston And The Intercultural University Of Michoacan (uiim) In Mexico Experimented With Soot, A More Common Form Of Carbon.
As A By-product Of The Combustion Of Coal, Wood And Hydrocarbon Fuels, Soot Is An Amorphous And Impure Form Of Carbon, Which Has Caused Damage To The Environment And Human Health. Collecting It From Emission Points Can Reduce These Negative Effects And Use It To Improve Renewable Energy, Which Helps To Close The Loop And Reduce Costs.
Francisco Robles Hern á Ndez, Corresponding Author Of The Study, Said: "the Production Of Soot Does Not Involve Any Energy, Because It Is A Rich By-product, And Its Recycling Can Only Reduce The Carbon Footprint. Because The Cost Is Close To Zero, It Makes It Cost-effective And Ideal For Solar To Thermal Conversion."
In This Study, Researchers Built A Prototype Solar Furnace. The Device Consists Of A Mirror Disk That Reflects And Focuses Sunlight To Its Center, Where There Is A Container. The Container Is Coated With A Black Solar Absorbing Paste Made Of Soot Or Other Forms Of Carbon Such As Graphene, Nanotubes And Fullerenes To Compare How Well They Work.
The Results Show That Soot Performs Better Than Other Materials In Several Key Areas. Its Solar Absorption Rate Is 96% Higher Than That Of Commercial Products, Its Light Emission Rate Is 85% Higher, And Its Price Is 15 Times Cheaper. Compared With The Original Form Of Carbon Such As Graphene, The Price Of Soot Coating Is 1000 Times Cheaper.
Researchers Say Smoke Based Endothermic Materials Can Be Used In Solar Distillers, Water Pipes Or Household Heating And Water purifiers And Industrial Drying Process.