Imagine a tiny mechanical switch or rotor made of a single molecule that can spin or flip to store energy. Instead of moving heavy ions through a liquid like a normal battery, this tech stores energy in the physical shape of molecules. It's like having billions of microscopic springs on a surface that can be wound up and released on demand.
Current battery technology relies on ion flow and environmentally harmful substances, which limits sustainability and scalability. There is a need for clean, recyclable energy storage that operates at the molecular level.
The team synthesized molecular rotors and switches, created 2D molecular porous networks on gold surfaces, and constructed a bimetallic micro-cantilever device to detect stored energy.
If you are a hardware manufacturer dealing with the environmental impact of toxic battery chemicals — this project developed molecular rotors and switches that store energy without using harmful substances. This could lead to cleaner, recyclable power sources for small devices.
If you are a nano-device startup dealing with the need for ultra-dense energy storage at the atomic scale — this project developed 2D molecular layers and porous networks. These structures allow for energy storage using electric fields and electrons.
If you are a renewable energy storage provider dealing with the scalability limits of ion-flow batteries — this project developed a scientific basis for storing energy in molecular conformational degrees of freedom. This offers a path toward scalable, clean energy storage.
Based on available project data, there is no information regarding the production cost or market price of the molecular storage devices.
The project aims to create the scientific basis for scalable clean energy storage using 2D molecular layers, but it is currently in the proof-of-principle stage.
Based on available project data, specific patent or licensing details are not provided, though the project maintains contact with industry via ESiM-Industry days.
The project uses electric fields and inelastic electrons as energy sources to pump and store energy in molecules, suggesting an electronic interface.
The project is active from 2022-04-01 to 2026-03-31.
The consortium is purely academic and research-driven, consisting of 7 partners: 4 universities and 3 research organizations across 4 countries. There is a 0% industry ratio, meaning the project is focused on fundamental scientific breakthroughs rather than immediate commercial productization, though they hold dedicated industry days for future transfer.
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