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Chinese Scientists Develop Bioinspired Self-Generating Energy-Storing Concrete
Release time：
2025-05-30
Can Cement Generate and Store Electricity?
On May 9, a research team led by Miao Changwen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Southeast University, unveiled the world's first bioinspired self-generating energy-storing concrete.
In this study, the Southeast University team developed two types of self-generating cement-based metamaterials: n-type and p-type thermoelectric cement.“Both cement-based metamaterials are primarily composed of cement. Through a specialized process, we incorporated organic compounds such as polyvinyl alcohol to construct a cement-based composite with an ordered layered microstructure that mimics plant rhizomes, featuring alternating soft and hard phases.”According to Zhou Yang, a researcher on the team and professor at Southeast University, this microstructure enhances the toughness of cement by nearly tenfold and facilitates smoother ion transport within the cement-based material.
Photo by Hang Tian
Zhou Yang explained that the interface formed between cement and polyvinyl alcohol exhibits ion selectivity: calcium ions in the cement are easily bound at the interface, while hydroxide ions can pass through rapidly, resulting in a potential difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the cement layer.When a temperature gradient forms on the cement surface, it induces a difference in ion transport rates within the material—the greater the difference, the larger the resulting potential difference, enabling electricity generation.
The team also developed a cement-based supercapacitor with self-energy storage capability. This supercapacitor features a sandwich-like structure, where the cement electrodes on both sides store active materials and adsorb ions, while the central cement electrolyte layer conducts ions.The ordered layered microstructure in the electrolyte enables rapid ion transport while blocking electron flow, allowing electrons to be stored in the cement electrodes—effectively forming an "energy storage unit."Zhou Yang noted that the cement-based supercapacitor with self-energy storage retains the high strength of cement while enhancing ionic conductivity by six orders of magnitude. It demonstrates excellent electrochemical reversibility and fast charge transfer capability, maintaining 95% of its initial specific capacitance after 20,000 charge–discharge cycles—matching the lifespan of buildings.
Source of article: Official website of the China Electrical Equipment Industry Association (www.ceeia.com)
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