Paraffin/carbon aerogel phase change materials with high enthalpy and thermal conductivity |
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Authors: | Benqiang Tian Fangfang He Changqiong Xie Kai Zhang Jinghui Fan |
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Affiliation: | 1. State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composite and Functional Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, PR China;2. Institute of System Engineering, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan, PR China |
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Abstract: | Two kinds of carbon aerogels, graphene aerogels (GA) and carbon nanotubes-graphene aerogels (CGA), were prepared by modified hydrothermal method. The form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) were fabricated by adsorbing paraffin into carbon aerogels. Morphology, structure, form stability and thermal property were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), in situ X-ray diffraction (in situ XRD) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The results showed that GA presented wrinkled surface textures with curling edges, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were interspersed or attached to GA sheets. The phase transition temperature and the phase change enthalpy of the GA/paraffin PCM composite were 48.7 °C and 223.2 J/g, respectively. Thermal and mechanical properties of PCM composites achieved a qualitative leap with the adding of carbon aerogels. The PCM composites had a thermal conductivity of about 2.182 W/m K at the carbon aerogels loading fraction of 2 wt%. The form-stable PCM composites with high thermal conductivity and high enthalpy could be promising for thermal energy storage applications in construction field. |
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Keywords: | carbon aerogel phase change materials solar energy storage thermal conductivity |
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