Supercapacitor cement lets concrete store its own power

Researchers at the Harbin Institute of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences 3D-printed a cement-based supercapacitor: an electrode ink of carbon nanotubes, carbon black and cement was printed onto a concrete slab in an interlocking-finger pattern. Three devices on one slab powered a small LED array, but the setup stopped working at about -18 °C.

• Electrode ink combines carbon nanotubes, carbon black and cement, printed via 3D printer
• Three supercapacitors on one slab powered a small LED array
• Device ceased operating at roughly -18 °C (-0.4 °F)
• Cement compressive strength matches commercial concrete used in slabs and stairs