Article

UC Santa Barbara researchers have introduced a new material, pyrimidone, for solar energy storage, capturing sunlight and storing it as heat. This method operates under Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) energy storage, allowing energy to be stored in chemical bonds, unlike traditional systems that require separate batteries.

The molecule achieves an energy density of 1.6 MJ/kg, surpassing lithium-ion batteries. The research demonstrated the ability to boil water using the stored heat, enabling applications in off-grid heating and residential water systems. This project is backed by the Moore Inventor Fellowship.