A team of researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed new type of polymer film, a heat absorbing material that can soak up and store solar heat and release it for later use.

Led by MIT Prof. Jeffrey Grossman, the team behind it suggests that it could be applied to all kinds of surfaces - from glass to clothing, Gizmodo reported. They have managed the feat by finding a way to store the energy from sunlight chemically rather than using to create electricity, like most solar energy systems do. 

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In a study published in Wiley Online Library, the team explained that they created the new solar thermal fuels using chemical compounds known as azobenzenes that are capable of changing on the molecular level in response to the Sun’s heat. A stimulus like a small temperature burst can later cause them to slip back to their original molecular layout, leading to discharge of the stored heat. 

The new solar-based heating polymer could prove beneficial in a variety of circumstances, as heat from the sun is available only for, on average, less than half of the day worldwide. The new material could be an advantage in places with less sunlight or frequent cold.

The new polymer is the first solar thermal fuel to be solid-state, and was designed using common technology and production materials to maximize its future potential, according to Christian Science Monitor. The practicality of a thin, transparent film with solar energy storage capabilities may open the door for its application in a wide range of products. 

It could be woven into clothing to charge in daylight and instantly warm a wearer during the nighttime or cold hours. The material is also comparable in thickness to bonding polymers currently used in car windows, and could be installed in a similar way to quickly melt snow and ice from window glass.

However, this technology has its fair share of limitations. According to the team, the new material devised at MIT harvests the energy of the sun and stores it in a chemical state. By using this method, the stored solar energy can be kept in a stable configuration for a very long time.

This is not the first time scientists try to address the idea of storing solar energy in a chemical state. David Zhitomirsky, ne of the scientists working on the project, stated that the previous attempts at devising a device that can store energy in a chemical state were unsuccessful. This was due to the fact that scientist used liquid solutions for energy storage.

The MIT team will continue work on the film as they try to improve its capacity, color, and boost the heat level increase from 10 degrees Celsius up to 20 degrees Celsius.