Thermochemical energy capture and storage

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Research question: Is it possible to decrease the dehydration temperature of magnesium hydroxide to around 100 degC to achieve dehydration using solar energy?Objectives: 1) Investigate influence of catalysts, precipitation method and additives on dehydration temperature; 2) Gather solid state kinetic data for all different cases; 3) Investigate the microstructure and measure other physical characteristics; 4) Formulate the reaction modelApproach: Materials will be prepared in conventional wet laboratory. Dehydration will be investigated using Calvet calorimeter and thermo-gravimetric analyzer. Characterization will be done using extensive equipment available at the University of Manchester. Model formulation and data analysis will be done using Python coding platform.Novelty:Consider a pioneering, new world where solar power is used by every nation as its primary energy supply. Shipped all over the world just like coal and oil are today. Infrastructure functions exactly as it always has, with electricity and heating supplied to homes, businesses and industry. But with this groundbreaking technology it is all sourced from the sun. This is possible by driving reversible, solid chemical reactions using sunlight. These solid powders can be transported from the solar rich regions to anywhere on the planet. By reversing the reaction, the energy is recovered and it can be distributed where needed. The objective of this project is to identify suitable, novel materials to achieve this goal, to test them and evaluate the possibility of using them on an industrial scale, to secure a sustainable, solar energy supply for the future.EPSRC research areas: Energy and Energy Storage