Approximately seventy percent of the thermal energy generated in thermal and nuclear power plants is lost as waste heat, with a temperature below the boiling point of water. In a recent report on Science Advances, Yoshitaka Nakamura and a research team in chemistry, materials, and technology in Japan developed a long-term heat storage material to absorb heat energy at warm temperatures ranging from 38 degrees C (311 K) to 67 degrees C (340 K). They composed the unique series of materials using scandium-substituted lambda-trititanium-pentoxide (λ-ScxTi3−xO5). The construct accumulated heat energy from hot water and released the accumulated heat energy upon the application of pressure. The new material has the potential to accumulate the heat energy of hot water generated in nuclear and thermal power plants, then recycle the stored heat energy on demand based on external pressures. The material is also applicable to recycle waste heat in industrial factories and automobiles.
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Source: Phys.org