There’s something else to consider, though, says Harry Hoster, at the University of Duisberg-Essen, who is also scientific director of the hydrogen-focused ZBT Center for Fuel Cell Technology in Germany.
The light-sensitive molecules in a Most system must be spread relatively thin. Too thick and light will not be able to penetrate to all of the molecules enough within it. “In a really optimistic scenario, you could probably make this 5mm thick,” estimates Hoster.
And, packaging your molecules in a liquid means you will likely have to move or pump that liquid from one part of the system to another, to store the energy or transfer it out, for example. This adds cost and complexity. “The moment you need to pump stuff around you have more things that can get broken,” says Hoster.
Griffin says he and colleagues are working on solid state versions of Most technology. Han, who is also researching solid iterations of Most, says these could take the form of transparent window coatings, for example. That way, they could release heat to prevent condensation or even to warm up rooms.
Hoster, though, is sceptical that Most will be able to provide all the heat required in a building. It could, however, warm up temperature-sensitive components on satellites or aircraft.
“It’s great science,” he adds. “It’s beautiful that they managed to get this functionality right.”
The innovations and research will likely continue, though it’s worth noting that this field remains relatively niche at present. Griffin attended a conference last year on Most technology with roughly 70 attendees, he recalls. “That was basically the whole community in the world on working this stuff.”
