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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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This “Smart Wood” Can Generate Solar Power Even at Night

Solar energy is one of the most promising solutions to the world’s growing energy needs. It is clean, renewable, and widely available. But it comes with one major limitation: solar panels only work when the sun is shining. As soon as night falls, power generation stops. This creates a big challenge—how do we store solar energy efficiently for later use?

Scientists have been working on this problem for years. Now, a team of researchers from China has introduced an exciting new solution: engineered wood that can capture solar energy during the day and release it—even generate electricity—after sunset. Their findings, published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, could change how we think about renewable energy systems.

The Problem with Solar Energy Storage

Traditional solar panels are very good at converting sunlight into electricity. However, they are not designed to store energy. To use solar power at night, we rely on batteries or other storage systems, which can be expensive, bulky, and sometimes harmful to the environment.

One alternative approach involves phase change materials (PCMs). These materials absorb heat when they melt and release it when they solidify. While promising, PCMs have several drawbacks:

  • They can leak when melted

  • They often conduct heat poorly

  • Some are flammable, posing safety risks

Because of these limitations, scientists have been searching for safer and more efficient materials.

Turning Wood into a High-Tech Energy Material

Instead of creating something entirely new, researchers decided to improve something natural: wood. Specifically, they chose balsa wood, which is lightweight, porous, and easy to modify.

The team reengineered the internal structure of the wood at multiple levels—from tiny nanostructures to visible microchannels. This transformed ordinary wood into a multifunctional material capable of capturing, storing, and releasing solar energy.

Step-by-Step Transformation

The process of converting simple wood into an advanced energy material involved several innovative steps:

1. Removing Lignin

Wood naturally contains a substance called lignin, which acts like glue holding fibers together. Scientists removed this component, leaving behind a network of tiny open channels. This porous structure is ideal for storing energy.

2. Adding Light-Absorbing Layers

The researchers coated the inner channels with ultrathin sheets of phosphorene, a material known for its excellent ability to absorb sunlight across different wavelengths and convert it into heat.

However, phosphorene is unstable when exposed to air. To solve this, the team added a protective coating made of tannic acid and iron ions, which keeps the material stable and durable.

3. Enhancing Solar Capture

To further improve performance, silver nanoparticles were introduced. These tiny particles enhance the wood’s ability to capture sunlight more efficiently.

4. Making It Weather-Resistant

A water-repellent (superhydrophobic) layer was applied to prevent moisture damage, ensuring the material can survive outdoor conditions without rotting.

5. Adding Heat Storage

Finally, the wood was infused with stearic acid, a bio-based phase change material. This wax-like substance melts when heated, storing energy, and solidifies when cooled, releasing that energy.

How It Works

During the day, the engineered wood absorbs sunlight and converts it into heat. This heat melts the stearic acid inside, storing energy within the material.

At night, when temperatures drop, the stearic acid solidifies and releases the stored heat. This heat can then be converted into electricity using a thermoelectric generator, allowing power generation even without sunlight.

An important feature of this design is how heat moves through the wood. Instead of spreading randomly, heat travels efficiently along the grain of the wood, making energy transfer faster and more effective.

Impressive Performance Results

The researchers tested their material under controlled conditions, and the results were remarkable:

  • Photothermal efficiency: 91.27%
    (Almost all incoming sunlight is converted into usable heat)

  • Energy storage capacity: 175 kilojoules per kilogram

  • Electric output: Up to 0.65 volts when connected to a thermoelectric generator

These numbers show that the material is not only efficient but also practical for real-world applications.

Built-In Safety and Durability

Beyond energy performance, the engineered wood also addresses several real-world challenges:

  • Fire resistance: Reduced heat release and improved safety

  • Antibacterial properties: Effective against harmful bacteria like E. coli and S. aureus

  • Fungal resistance: Prevents decay and extends lifespan

  • Water resistance: Protects against moisture and weather damage

These features make the material suitable for outdoor use, where traditional wood would normally degrade.

Why This Innovation Matters

This breakthrough offers several important advantages:

1. Sustainable and Eco-Friendly

Wood is a renewable resource, and the added materials are relatively low-impact compared to conventional batteries.

2. Cost-Effective

Using widely available materials like wood could reduce manufacturing costs compared to advanced battery systems.

3. Scalable Technology

The process can potentially be scaled up for industrial production, making it suitable for large-scale energy solutions.

4. Continuous Energy Supply

By storing solar energy as heat, this material provides a way to generate electricity even after sunset—one of the biggest challenges in solar power.

Future Possibilities

The potential applications of this technology are exciting:

  • Energy-efficient buildings: Walls or roofs made from this wood could store heat during the day and release it at night

  • Remote power systems: Ideal for areas without reliable electricity grids

  • Smart infrastructure: Integration into roads, bridges, or outdoor structures for passive energy generation

  • Hybrid solar systems: Combining this material with traditional solar panels for better efficiency

Conclusion

The development of engineered wood that can store solar energy and generate electricity after dark represents a major step forward in renewable energy technology. By combining natural materials with advanced nanotechnology, scientists have created a solution that is efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly.

While more research and development are needed before it becomes widely available, this innovation shows great promise. It brings us closer to a future where clean energy is not only abundant during the day but also reliably available at night.

In a world searching for sustainable solutions, this “smart wood” could play a key role in powering the future—long after the sun goes down.

Reference: Yang Meng et al, Interface‐Engineered Wood‐Based Composite Phase Change Materials Integrating Superhydrophobic, Flame‐Retardant, and Antimicrobial Properties for Sustainable Solar–Electric Energy Conversion, Advanced Energy Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1002/aenm.70872

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