JP7643970B2 - Exterior materials and buildings with exterior materials - Google Patents

Description

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an exterior material. For example, one embodiment of the present invention relates to an exterior material that can be used on the exterior walls, roofs, and rooftops of buildings and has both power generation and charging functions.

Geopolymers are amorphous condensation polymers formed by the reaction of an alkaline silica solution with alumina-silica powder, and have been attracting attention in recent years as a material that exhibits excellent properties different from those of concrete, which is made from cement. Geopolymers are also known to function as electrolytes in solid-state batteries (see Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Chaoli, Meng, et al., "Battery in the form of a cement-matrix composite," Cement & Concrete Composite, Elsevier (USA), 2010, Vol. 32, pp. 829-839 M. Safi, et al., "Inherently multifunctional geopolymeric cementitious composite as electrical energy storage and self-sensing structural material," Composite Structures, Elsevier (USA), 2018, Vol. 201, pp. 766-778

One of the embodiments of the present invention aims to provide an exterior material that contains a geopolymer. Alternatively, one of the embodiments of the present invention aims to provide an exterior material that combines power generation and storage functions.

One embodiment of the present invention is an exterior material. This exterior material includes a platform having a flat plate shape, and a solar cell array provided on the main surface of the platform. The platform has a positive electrode, a negative electrode facing the positive electrode, and a geopolymer in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are embedded. The solar cell array is electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

One embodiment of the present invention is a building equipped with an exterior material. The exterior material includes a platform having a flat plate shape, and a solar cell array provided on the main surface of the platform. The platform has a positive electrode, a negative electrode facing the positive electrode, and a geopolymer in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are embedded. The solar cell array is electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an exterior material according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of an exterior material according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a stand according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic top and end views of a rack according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic top and end views of a rack according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic top and end views of a rack according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are schematic top and end views of a rack according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a gantry according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1C are schematic end views illustrating a method of making a pedestal according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1A to 1C are schematic end views illustrating a method of making a pedestal according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a building according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and should not be interpreted as being limited to the description of the embodiments exemplified below.

In order to clarify the explanation, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part in a schematic manner compared to the actual embodiment, but this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each figure, elements having the same function as those explained in the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals and duplicate explanations may be omitted.

Hereinafter, the expression "a structure is exposed from another structure" means that a part of a structure is not covered by the other structure, and includes a case where the part not covered by the other structure is covered by yet another structure.

1. Structure of the exterior material Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exterior material 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The exterior material 100 is a building material that can be used in buildings. The exterior material 100 is not limited to the roof, rooftop floor, exterior wall, etc. of a building, and can be attached to any part of a building as long as it is a part that can be irradiated with sunlight.

As shown in FIG. 1, the exterior material 100 includes a mount 110 and a solar cell array 102. The mount 110 has a function of storing electricity generated by the solar cell array 102, and is a member for ensuring the strength of the exterior material. The mount 110 has a flat plate shape, and the solar cell array 102 is provided on the main surface of the mount 110. The mount 110 is configured so that the area of its main surface is the same as or larger than the area of the solar cell array 102. This allows the exterior material 100 to be placed without gaps when attached to a building. The exterior material 100 is attached to a building so that the solar cell array 102 is exposed to the outdoors. There are no restrictions on the planar shape of the exterior material 100, and it can be appropriately set to fit the shape of the building. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the planar shape of the exterior material 100 may be a quadrangle such as a rectangle or a square, or as shown in FIG. 2(A) and FIG. 2(B), it may be a trapezoid or a circle. Although not shown, the exterior material 100 may have various planar shapes, such as polygons including triangles and rectangles, stars, and ellipses. The main surface of the mount 110 is the surface that has the largest area among the flat surfaces of the mount 110, and is the surface that is parallel to the outer surface of the building when it is attached to the building. The planar shape of the exterior material 100 refers to the shape on a plane parallel to this main surface.

1-1. Solar Cell Array The solar cell array 102 includes a frame 104 and a plurality of solar cell modules 106 fixed to the frame 104. Each solar cell module 106 has a cover glass and a back film, between which a plurality of solar cell cells are arranged. As the solar cell, a single crystal silicon solar cell, a polycrystalline silicon solar cell, an amorphous silicon solar cell, a solar cell including a compound semiconductor, or the like can be used. Each solar cell generates electricity by absorbing sunlight, outputs a direct current, and this current is stored in the frame 110 as electric power.

1-2. Frame Figures 3 and 4(A) show a schematic perspective view and a top view of the frame 110, respectively. Figures 4(B) and 4(C) are schematic end views along the dashed line A-A' in Figure 4(A). As shown in these figures, the frame 110 has a positive electrode 130 and a negative electrode 132 that face each other and are spaced apart from each other, and both the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 are at least partially embedded in the geopolymer 112. The geopolymer 112 functions as an electrolyte that does not exhibit any or substantially any fluidity, so that the frame 110 functions as an all-solid-state battery.

The planar shape of the mount 110 can be the same as that of the solar cell array 102 placed thereon, or can have a shape that is approximately similar to that of the solar cell array. The size of the planar shape of the mount can be the same as that of the solar cell array 102, or can be larger than the planar shape of the solar cell array 102. The thickness of the mount 110 can be appropriately selected from the range of 5 mm to 10 cm, 1 cm to 5 cm, or 1 cm to 3 cm.

Here, the term "geopolymer" refers to an amorphous polycondensate formed by the reaction of an alkali silica solution with an alumina silica powder. Therefore, the geopolymer 112 includes at least one of fine particles containing silicon oxide, fine particles containing aluminum oxide, and fine particles containing silicon oxide and aluminum oxide. The geopolymer 112 may further include fine particles containing an oxide of an alkali metal, a group 2 metal, or a transition metal, such as iron oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide, or potassium oxide. The geopolymer 112 may also have silicon-oxygen-aluminum (Si-O-Al) bonds, silicon-oxygen-silicon (Si-O-Si) bonds, silicon-oxygen-metal-oxygen-silicon (Si-O-M-O-Si) bonds, or silicon-oxygen-metal-oxygen-aluminum (Si-O-M-O-Al) bonds. The fine particles described above are fixed by the amorphous inorganic material formed by the above bonds. Here, M is a metal selected from alkali metals such as lithium, sodium, potassium, and cesium, Group 2 metals such as magnesium and calcium, and transition metals such as cobalt, copper, and iron.

Geopolymer 112 may further include, as an additive, a material that exists as a metal ion in geopolymer 112 or that ionizes to give a cation. Examples of metal ions include ions of alkali metals or group 2 elements. The material that gives the cation may be selected, for example, from transition metals. Examples of transition metals include scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc. Preferred transition metals are, for example, iron, cobalt, and copper, and so-called copper slag and steel slag may also be used.

The material that gives the cation may be a carbon material. The carbon material may be conductive. Here, the carbon material is a material substantially composed of sp ² carbon atoms, and examples thereof include carbon nanotubes, graphene, and fullerene. The carbon nanotube may be a single-walled carbon nanotube or a multi-walled carbon nanotube. There is no limitation on the diameter or length of the carbon nanotube. In addition, one or both ends of the carbon nanotube may be capped, or one or both ends may have a structure in which they are open. Alternatively, the carbon nanotube may be a carbon nanotube that contains other molecules or ions, such as peapots, and the surface may be molecular-modified. When graphene is used as the carbon material, it may be an independent single-layer graphene, or it may be an oligographene in which multiple graphenes are stacked, or graphite. In addition, graphene oxide in which a part of the basic skeleton is oxidized may be used. When fullerene is used as the carbon material, not only C ₆₀ and C ₇₀ but also C ₇₄ , C ₇₆ , C ₇₈ , etc. may be used. Further, fullerenes containing metal ions such as scandium, lanthanum, and cerium may be used, or fullerenes in which some of the carbon has been modified and which have functional groups such as ester groups may be used.

Alternatively, cellulose or cellulose nanotubes can be used as insulating carbon-containing materials.

By adding the above-mentioned additives to the geopolymer 112, the battery characteristics are significantly improved, and the stand 110 functions as an all-solid-state battery that exhibits excellent charge/discharge characteristics. Therefore, by applying the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide an exterior material that combines power generation function and large-capacity power storage function.

The positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 are electrodes that each contain a metal such as copper, nickel, aluminum, zinc, palladium, silver, chromium, or manganese. The metal materials contained in the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 are different from each other. The positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be configured so that the metal with the smaller ionization tendency is contained in the positive electrode 130.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4(A), input terminals 114-1 and 114-2 are connected to the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132, respectively, and at least a portion of each of the input terminals 114-1 and 114-2 is exposed from the geopolymer 112. The solar cell array 102 is electrically connected to the positive electrodes 130 and 132 via the input terminals 114-1 and 114-2.

The positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 are further connected to output terminals 116-1 and 116-2, respectively, and at least a portion of each of the output terminals 116-1 and 116-2 is exposed from the geopolymer 112. The output terminals 116-1 and 116-2 are terminals for outputting electricity stored in the frame 110, and are configured to be connected to wiring (not shown) for connecting various loads.

It is also possible to provide only one of the input terminal 114-1 and the output terminal 116-1, and to provide input from the solar cell array 102 and output to the load. Similarly, it is also possible to provide only one of the input terminal 114-2 and the output terminal 116-2, and to provide input from the solar cell array 102 and output to the load. Furthermore, the input terminal 114 and the output terminal 116 may be placed in an opening provided in the geopolymer 112, and electrical connection may be made by inserting wiring used for input from the solar cell array 102 and output to the load into this opening.

The shape and size of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 can be selected arbitrarily. For example, the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be plate-shaped (film-shaped) as shown in FIG. 5(A), or may have a rod-shaped or wire-shaped shape. In the case of a plate-shaped electrode, at least one of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may have a mesh-shaped form (FIG. 5(B)). Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5(C), the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may have a pleated shape. That is, the shape of the end surface perpendicular to the upper surface of the base 110 of each of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be zigzag or wavy. By adopting such a shape and arrangement, the contact area of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 with the geopolymer 112 per unit area of the upper surface of the geopolymer 112 is increased, so that the energy density of the base 110 can be increased.

Furthermore, the stand 110 may include a spacer 134 for preventing contact between the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132, and a spacer 136 for preventing contact between the positive electrode 130 or the negative electrode 132 and the reinforcing bar unit 118. The spacers 134 and 136 may include an insulating material such as resin, rubber, or wood, or may include a geopolymer.

The distance between the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 can also be selected arbitrarily, taking into consideration the thickness of the stand 110 and the power required by the connected load, and may be appropriately selected from the range of, for example, 0.1 mm to 9 cm, 1 mm to 5 cm, 1 mm to 3 cm, or 5 mm to 3 cm.

The arrangement of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be determined arbitrarily. For example, as shown in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B), the plate-shaped positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be arranged so that their main surfaces are parallel or substantially parallel to the upper surface of the stand 110. In this case, the positive electrode 130 may be arranged so as to be sandwiched between the negative electrode 132 and the solar cell array 102 (FIG. 4(B)), and although not shown, the negative electrode 132 may be arranged so as to be sandwiched between the positive electrode 130 and the solar cell array 102.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6(A) and a schematic diagram of the end surface along the dashed line B-B' (FIG. 6(B)), the main surfaces of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be inclined from the main surface of the base 110. Here, the main surface of the positive electrode 130 refers to the surface having the widest area among the flat surfaces of the positive electrode 130. The same applies to the negative electrode 132. The angle between each of the main surfaces of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 and the main surface of the base 110 may be 90°, or may be 80° or more and less than 90°. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 6(A), the planar shape of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 (shape in a plane parallel to the main surface of the base 110) may be comb-shaped. When the comb-shaped positive electrode 130 and negative electrode 132 are arranged, a part of the positive electrode 130 is sandwiched between a part of the negative electrode 132, and a part of the negative electrode 132 is also sandwiched between a part of the positive electrode 130. Although not shown, the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may have a folded structure in the geopolymer 112, or may have a spiral shape. Furthermore, the base 110 may have multiple pairs of positive electrodes 130 and negative electrodes 132. For example, as shown in FIG. 7(A) and the schematic diagram of the end surface along the chain line C-C' (FIG. 7(B)), multiple pairs of positive electrodes 130 and negative electrodes 132 may be arranged parallel to each other. By adopting such an arrangement, the volume of the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 per unit volume of the base 110 increases, so that the energy density of the base 110 can be further increased.

The frame 110 may further include a reinforcing bar unit 118 to increase the strength of the exterior material 100. The reinforcing bar unit 118 is composed of multiple reinforcing bars, and there are no restrictions on its structure or arrangement. For example, as shown in Figures 4(A) to 4(C), the reinforcing bar unit 118 may be composed of multiple main bars 120 extending parallel to each other, multiple hanging members 122 extending parallel to each other and intersecting with the main bars 120, etc. As shown in Figure 4(B), the reinforcing bar unit 118 may be arranged above the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 (on the solar cell array 102 side), or, although not shown, may be arranged below the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 4(C), the reinforcing bar unit 118 may be arranged between the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132.

2. Method for Producing the Exterior Material An example of a method for producing the exterior material 100 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.

First, the raw materials for geopolymer 112, an alkaline solution and a filler, are mixed to prepare a mixture with fluidity (hereinafter referred to as a precursor). When an additive is used, the additive is further added to prepare the precursor. The temperature during mixing may be, for example, room temperature (20°C to 25°C), but there are no restrictions. For example, the temperature during mixing may be selected from the range of -20°C to 40°C, 0°C to 35°C, or 15°C to 30°C. When mixing, water may be added appropriately, taking into account the strength required for geopolymer 112.

Examples of the alkaline solution include an alkaline silicate solution and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide. An example of the alkaline silicate solution is so-called water glass. Therefore, the alkaline silicate solution is specifically an aqueous solution of an alkali metal silicate such as sodium or potassium. Examples of the alkali metal hydroxide include lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide. The concentration of the aqueous solution of the alkali metal hydroxide may be selected from the range of, for example, 5% by mass or more and 30% by mass or less, or 10% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less.

Any material containing aluminum oxide and silicon oxide can be used as the filler. Typical examples include fly ash, slag also called iron and steel slag, sewage sludge, silica fume, rice husk ash, general incineration ash, metakaolin, clay, etc. Fly ash, also called coal ash, is the residue left over from burning coal at a coal-fired power plant. Slag is the residue left over from melting silicon oxide or aluminum oxide contained in ore and ash in coke when refining metals from ore such as iron ore. Silica fume is dust obtained when collecting dust generated during the manufacture of metal silicon, electrofused zirconia, etc., and contains high-purity silicon oxide. General incineration ash is the residue left over from burning garbage in a garbage incinerator. Metakaolin is a material obtained by heating kaolinite, a clay mineral, at around 700°C to make it amorphous.

The composition of the alkaline solution and filler may be appropriately determined, but the amount of the alkaline solution may be 20% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, or 30% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the alkaline solution and the filler. On the other hand, the amount of the filler may be 50% by mass or more and 80% by mass or less, or 50% by mass or more and 70% by mass or less, based on the total amount of the precursor. When an additive is used, the amount of the additive may be, for example, 0.001% by weight or more and 10% by weight or less, 0.01% by weight or more and 10% by mass or less, or 0.1% by weight or more and 10% by mass or less.

When forming the precursor, aggregates (fine aggregate, coarse aggregate) such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, etc. used in mortar and concrete may be added separately.

A part of the obtained precursor is poured into a form having a desired shape in a fluid state. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 9, which corresponds to the end view of FIG. 4(A), a part of the precursor 142 is cast into the form 140, and the positive electrode 130 (or the negative electrode 132) is placed before the precursor 142 hardens, and the precursor 142 is added. Next, the negative electrode 132 (or the positive electrode 130) is placed before the precursor 142 hardens, and the precursor 142 is added. After that, the reinforcing bar unit 118 is placed on the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132, and the precursor 142 is added and hardened. Spacers 134 and 136 may be placed as necessary (see FIG. 5(C)). The material used for the form 140 can be selected arbitrarily, and may be, for example, a metal material such as iron, stainless steel, or aluminum, wood, a resin material, or glass.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, which corresponds to FIG. 6(B), the positive electrode 130, the negative electrode 132, and the reinforcing bar unit 118 are placed in advance in a formwork 140. At this time, the positive electrode 130, the negative electrode 132, and the reinforcing bar unit 118 are placed using insulating pillars 144, 146, etc., so that the positive electrode 130, the negative electrode 132, and the reinforcing bar unit 118 do not come into contact with each other. Then, the precursor 142 is cast into the formwork 140 and hardened to obtain the frame 110. Note that in this method, the pillars 144, 146 are included in the frame 110 of the exterior material 100. After this, the formwork 140 is removed.

The positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be placed in the formwork 140 with the input terminal 114 and the output terminal 116 already connected to the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132, or openings reaching the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 may be provided before the precursor 142 is completely cured, and the input terminal 114 and the output terminal 116 may be connected to the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132.

After the frame 110 is formed, the solar cell array 102 is connected to the input terminal 114 and the output terminal 116 to obtain the exterior material 100.

As described above, in this method, fly ash, slag also known as iron and steel slag, sewage sludge, silica fume, rice husk ash, general incineration ash, metakaolin, clay, and the like can be used as fillers. Since these fillers are types of so-called industrial waste, the method for producing the exterior material 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention can also be positioned as a tool for effectively utilizing industrial waste.

3. Building An example of a building 150 according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 11. There are no restrictions on the shape, design, size, etc. of the building 150, and the building 150 may be appropriately designed according to the purpose and use of the building 150. The exterior material 100 may be installed in a portion of the building 150 that is irradiated with sunlight, such as the exterior wall, rooftop floor, or roof. As described above, the geopolymer 112 functions as an electrolyte for a battery, so that the frame 110 having a structure in which the positive electrode 130 and the negative electrode 132 are embedded inside the geopolymer 112 functions as a storage battery. Therefore, the exterior material 100 in which the frame 110 is electrically connected to the solar cell array 102 functions as a building material as the exterior of the building, and can have a power generation and charging function. This shows that by applying one of the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to build an energy-saving building without newly installing a solar cell array and a storage battery, and that the exterior material 100 is effective as a building material that contributes to global environmental conservation.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate to the extent that they are not mutually inconsistent. Any embodiment in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or deletes components or modifies the design is also included within the scope of the present invention as long as it contains the gist of the present invention.

Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those provided by the above-mentioned embodiments, those that are clear from the description in this specification or that can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be provided by the present invention.

100: Exterior material, 102: Solar cell array, 104: Frame, 106: Solar cell module, 110: Frame, 112: Geopolymer, 114: Input terminal, 114-1: Input terminal, 114-2: Input terminal, 116: Output terminal, 116-1: Output terminal, 116-2: Output terminal, 118: Reinforcing bar unit, 120: Main bar, 122: Hanging material, 130: Positive electrode, 132: Negative electrode, 134: Spacer, 136: Spacer, 140: Formwork, 142: Precursor, 144: Pillar, 146: Pillar, 150: Building

Claims (10)

A power generation function unit having a solar cell array;
A storage function unit having a positive electrode, a negative electrode facing the positive electrode, and a geopolymer in which the positive electrode and the negative electrode are embedded ;
The storage function unit is an exterior material characterized in that it is a flat-plate-shaped stand having the solar cell array provided on its main surface and having input terminals and output terminals to electrically connect the positive electrode and the negative electrode to the solar cell array . The solar cell array includes a flat-plate-shaped stand and a solar cell array provided on a main surface of the stand,
The frame is
Positive electrode,
a negative electrode facing the positive electrode; and
A geopolymer is embedded in the positive electrode and the negative electrode;
the solar cell array includes a solar cell electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode,
The positive electrode and the negative electrode each contain a different metal. The base further includes a first terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode and a second terminal electrically connected to the negative electrode,
The exterior packaging material according to claim 2 , wherein the solar cell array is electrically connected to the positive electrode and the negative electrode via the first terminal and the second terminal. The cladding material of claim 3 , wherein both the first terminal and the second terminal are exposed from the geopolymer. The geopolymer comprises an additive;
3. The exterior material according to claim 1 , wherein the additive is a metal ion or a material that is ionized to provide a cation. The exterior material according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the thickness of the mount is 5 mm or more and 10 cm or less. The packaging material according to claim 1 , wherein a principal surface of the positive electrode and a principal surface of the negative electrode are both parallel to a principal surface of the stand. The exterior packaging material according to claim 1 , wherein a principal surface of the positive electrode and a principal surface of the negative electrode are both inclined from a principal surface of the stand. The packaging material according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein end faces of the positive electrode and the negative electrode perpendicular to the main surface of the support have a zigzag shape. A building equipped with the exterior material according to claim 1 or 2 ,
The exterior material is provided so that the solar cell array is exposed to the outdoors.

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