Researchers from Japan and the US have discovered that twisted carbon nanotubes can store three times more energy per unit mass than advanced lithium-ion batteries.
The researchers focused on single-walled carbon nanotubes, which are straw-like structures made from carbon sheets just one atom thick.
These nanotubes are lightweight, easy to manufacture, and about 100 times stronger than steel.
To test the energy storage potential, the team created “ropes” from bundles of commercially available nanotubes.
By twisting the ropes and measuring the energy released as they unwound, the researchers found that the best-performing ropes could store 15,000 times more energy per unit mass than steel springs and about three times more than lithium-ion batteries.
The stored energy remains consistent and accessible at temperatures from -76 to +212 °F (-60 to +100 °C). Additionally, the materials used in the carbon nanotube ropes are safer for the human body compared to those used in batteries.
