Sunburn-Inspired Molecules Could Revolutionise Clean Heating

A University of California Santa Barbara chemist has developed a molecular energy storage system that outperforms lithium-ion batteries on energy density, BBC Business reported Saturday, drawing on an unlikely source of inspiration: sunburn.

From DNA Damage to Energy Storage

Chemistry professor Grace Han noticed California’s intense sun shortly after relocating from Boston. Reading about DNA photochemistry for personal interest, she made a key connection. Molecules in human skin that warp under UV radiation offered a template for energy storage. Scientists have long pursued so-called molecular solar thermal, or MOST, systems. These rely on molecules that change shape when exposed to light, storing energy in the process. The molecules can later be triggered to snap back, releasing that stored energy on demand. The concept resembles setting a mousetrap and choosing when to spring it.

A Landmark Energy Density Figure

Han and her colleagues published findings in February describing what they called the most energy-dense MOST system to date. The system achieved 1.65 megajoules of energy per kilogram. That figure exceeds the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, the technology currently powering smartphones and electric vehicles. The stored energy was potent enough to rapidly boil liquid inside a small laboratory vial. Han told BBC Business she was struck by how quickly the solution reached a rolling boil on first viewing the demonstration video.

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Background: Decades of Limited Progress

MOST research has been active for decades without producing commercially viable results. Evolution, however, already solved one core challenge. Certain plants and animals use an enzyme called photolyase to repair UV-warped molecules in a smooth, repeatable cycle. Han’s team borrowed that biological logic for their synthetic system. Researcher Kasper Moth-Poulsen of the Polytechnic University of Barcelona, who works independently on MOST systems, noted the achievement surpassed his own group’s best results by roughly 60%.

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Obstacles Remain Before Commercial Use

The current system carries notable limitations. The wavelength needed to activate the molecules sits at 300 nanometres, an ultraviolet band that reaches Earth’s surface in very small quantities. The trigger for energy release currently requires hydrochloric acid, a corrosive substance needing neutralisation after each use. Han acknowledged neither feature is practical at scale. She said she remains confident both challenges are solvable. The broader goal is to supply heat without combustion, displacing the fossil fuels that still dominate global heating infrastructure.

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