Preparation of erythritol–graphite foam phase change composite with enhanced thermal conductivity for thermal energy storage applications

Three-dimensional interconnected graphite composite foam as a heat conductive matrix was fabricated by using low cost polymeric precursors and polyurethane (PU) foam as carbon source and sacrificial macroporous template, respectively. Erythritol–graphite foam as a stable composite phase change material (PCM) was obtained by incipient wetness impregnation method. The thermophysical properties such as thermal diffusivity, specific heat, thermal conductivity and latent heat of the erythritol–graphite composite foam were measured. From the results, it was found that the thermal conductivity of the erythritol–graphite composite foam (3.77 W/mK) was enhanced 5 times as compared with that of pristine erythritol (0.72 W/mK). This enhancement can significantly reduce the charging and discharging times of the PCM storage system. There is no chemical reaction between erythritol and graphite as confirmed by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The PCM/foam composite has a melting point of 118 °C and latent heat of 251 J/g which corresponds to the mass percentage (75 wt.%) of the erythritol within the composite foam. The obtained results confirmed the feasibility of using erythritol–graphite foam as a new phase change composite for thermal energy storage (TES) applications, thus it can contribute to the efficient utilization and recovery of solar heat or industrial waste heat.     

Structure and thermal stability of zinc–nickel electrodeposits

ZnNi alloys were electrodeposited from a chloride bath on steel substrates. The effect of nickel bath concentration on chemical composition, structure and microstructure of the deposits is demonstrated. From 0 to 13 nickel, the phases obtained do not correspond to that reported on the thermodynamic phase diagram. It is shown that the substitution of zinc by nickel is responsible for the formation of distorted _d and _d phases corresponding to the supersaturated hexagonal phase of zinc and to the unsaturated cubic phase of Zn–Ni alloy, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry indicates that the thermal instability of the alloys containing up to 13 wt of nickel, results from the crystallization of the phase from the _d and _d phases at around 200 °C and 250 °C, respectively.     

Improvement in thermal expansion of Ca–PSZ refractories

Abstract

Ca–PSZ refractories were prepared from fused CaO–ZrO₂ powder and characterised with respect to thermal expansion and phase composition. By modifying the stabilisation of ZrO₂ , the thermal expansion properties of the material were shown to have improved by the formation of a ‘plateau’ in the thermal expansion curve on cooling over the 500–800°C temperature range. Consequently, a Ca–PSZ refractory with better thermal shock resistance was obtained without adverse effect on the material density. Corrosion resistance should, therefore, also be maintained.     

Transformation and thermal stability of Li-α-sialon ceramics

Two phase α/β and single phase α lithium sialons with different m and n values were produced by hot pressing at 1730–1750°C at 30 MPa for 30–40 min in a graphite resistance furnace. When the two-phase samples were heat-treated at lower (1200–1450°C) temperatures in different packing powders, an increase in the amount of α was observed, due to β-sialon in the as-sintered material reacting with grain boundary liquid to form more α. β→α transformation at low temperatures has not been reported previously in any sialon system and in the present case is believed to occur because the α-sialon phase field in the lithium sialon system shifts slightly towards the β-sialon line at lower temperatures. The thermal stability of lithium α-sialon is good in the centre of the single-phase α region when surrounded by a Li-containing powder bed. However, towards the edges of the single-phase region, compositional changes occur on heat-treatment. Thus, samples with high m, n values decompose into β-sialon plus other Li-containing phases. During heat-treatment of other compositions when surrounded by a BN powder bed, the composition of the α-sialon phase continually readjusts towards the α/β sialon phase region as a function of time and this is followed by decomposition of the α phase. Evaporation of the Li⁺ stabilising cation is believed to be the main reason for this behaviour. The effects of m and n value, heat treatment parameters and packing powder on the thermal stability of Li α-sialons are discussed.     

Structure and thermal properties of SrCe1-xSnxO3 (x=0.1 … 0.5) as a promising thermal barrier coating

Gas turbines efficiency growth is primarily associated with an increase in the operating temperature of the combustion chamber, which places new stringent requirements on the materials of thermal barrier coatings. Strontium cerate doped with tin SrCe_{1- x}Sn_xO₃ where x = 0.1 … 0.5, was proposed as a promising material. The research has shown that the lightly doped solid solution SrCe_1-xSn_xO₃ has an orthorhombic Pnma structure at x < 0.3, whereas at a high content of Sn⁴⁺ the monoclinic structure P2₁/m becomes more favorable. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in reducing atmosphere (5%H₂ in Ar) shows no mass lost as a result of unchangeable charge of Ce⁴⁺ and Sn⁴⁺. An increase in the distortion of the crystal lattice, due to the large difference in the ionic radii of Ce⁴⁺ and Sn⁴⁺, leads to a deterioration in the symmetry of the crystal lattice, a reduction of thermal conductivity (from 1.9 to 1.4 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 1000 °C) and at the same time, growth of hardness and porosity. The increase in porosity, along with an increase in the required temperature of solid-state synthesis, indicates an enhancement in the melting point of the obtained materials. For the compounds with an orthorhombic structure, the thermal expansion coefficient increases with a growth in the Sn content, achieving a highest point 12.47·10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ at 1100 °C for x = 0.3. The combination of the revealed properties and their comparison with advanced refractories makes the solid solution, primarily SrCe_0.5Sn_0.5O₃, a promising material for application as thermal barrier coatings.     

Mechanical and thermal behavior of modified epoxy–novolak film adhesives

Modified epoxy-based film adhesives were developed for bonding structural joints. Film adhesives with different compositions were prepared by hot pressing the molten resins. Peel and shear tests were carried out to evaluate the adhesion properties. Dynamic mechanical thermal analyses were conducted to follow the changes in the adhesive structure and also the trend of impact strength. Incorporation of thermoplastic poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) into an epoxy- novolak combination resulted in higher cohesive strength, better film-forming ability, enhanced adhesive shear and peel strengths, but decreased thermostability. However, due to the lower chemical functionality of PVB, a lower crosslink density was achieved. Incorporation of a small amount of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) as a flexibilizer led to improved mechanical properties, easy handling and facile application. Finally, good shear strength retention up to 200 °C for 1 h was observed in the case of EGDM-modified adhesives.     

Oxidation,mechanical and thermal properties of hafnia–silicon carbide nanocomposites

Dense nanocomposites constituted from 70/30 vol% of hafnia–silicon carbide and were prepared by spark plasma sintering. Silicon carbide suppresses grain growth. The fracture strength of as prepared composites is 400–600 MPa. Oxidation up to 1600 °C in air for 10 h has minor influence on the mechanical strength, which is ascribed to the dense nature of the oxidation scale. The high density of the oxidation scale is attributed to a volume increase when silicon carbide oxidizes and reacts with hafnia to form hafnium silicate. The composite has a thermal conductivity of 14 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at room temperature. Design approaches for further enhancement of ultrahigh temperature properties of oxide/non-oxide composites are discussed.     

Mechanical and thermal shock properties of size graded MgO–PSZ refractory

The effects of the mixture of coarse powder with fine PSZ powder on the thermal-mechanical properties of 10 Mg–PSZ samples were studied. The size graded specimens were injection-molded using 3.5 m% MgO–ZrO₂ powders. The physical properties of the ZrO₂ samples and five thermal shock parameters were measured and calculated. These properties included density (ρ), porosity (p), the ratio of m/(t+c+m) phase, fracture toughness (K_IC), strength (σ_f), Young's modulus (E), shear modulus (G), Poisson's ratio (ν), and the thermal expansion (α) between ambient temperature to 1100°C. The toughness and thermal shock resistance of the PSZ are controlled by the states of porous microstructure which can be represented by a parameter (nominal largest tolerable length of defects) a_t. The PSZ samples show two types of thermal shock behavior differentiated by comparing the value of a_t to the characteristic length L_f of the defects in the sintered PSZ. The states of the defects, i.e. porosity, are the microstructural evidence to explain the relationship between the thermal shock properties.     

Water resistance and thermal stability of hybrid lignocellulosic filler–PVC composites

In this study, composites based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC), pulp fiber (PF), and wood flour (WF) were made by injection molding. The effects of two variable factors, namely the filler form and filler loading level, on the composite physical properties were examined. The result clearly showed that the major part of water absorption was due to water absorption of PF. It was found that the water absorption in the lignocellulosic material base composites is significantly higher than the neat PVC. Besides, the water absorption increased sharply with increasing cellulosic filler loadings in the composites. In case of hybrid composites, the rate of water uptake correlated with percentage weight of WF, lower WF (higher PF) loadings in composites exhibit higher rate of absorption. The higher onset of degradation temperature indicates the improved thermal stability of the samples. In other words, the result clearly illustrates that the thermal property of the composites increases after using PF and further increases after addition of WF.     

Synthesis and thermal behaviour of β tricalcium phosphate precipitated from aqueous solutions

Abstract

In the present study, β tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) was prepared by precipitation from aqueous solutions. Calcium nitrate tetrahydrate Ca(NO₃)₂.4H₂O and diammonium hydrogen phosphate (NH₄)₂HPO₄ salts with an initial Ca/P molar ratio of 1·5 were dissolved in distilled water and mixed at 20°C and pH 10. Phase evolution of the as received precipitate was studied by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy before and after calcination in a dry air atmosphere at temperatures in the range 200-1400°C for 1 h. Thermal behaviour was investigated by simultaneous thermal analysis (DTA-TG). Calcium and phosphorus contents of the as received precipitate were determined by the inductively coupled plasma technique, and a Ca/P molar ratio of 1·49 ± 0·01 was found. The densities of the as received precipitate and of powder calcined at 800°C were determined by picnometery to be 2·43 and 3·01 ± 0·05 g cm^-3 respectively. The experimental data suggest the formation of an amorphous phase corresponding to a TCP-like composition, which is calcium deficient and contains a very small amount of HPO₄^2- groups.     

Morphologies and thermal properties of flame-retardant polystyrene/α-zirconium phosphate nanocomposites

The phosphorus- and nitrogen-containing monomer, acryloxyethyl phenoxy phosphorodiethyl amidate (AEPPA), was synthesized and characterized. Poly(St-co-AEPPA)/α-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) nanocomposites with different amounts of α-ZrP were then prepared by in situ radical bulk copolymerization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results showed that the α-ZrP layers were exfoliated in the polymer matrix. Improvements in thermal stability and char residues of the copolymer and nanocomposites were observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The incorporation of AEPPA can reduce the flammability of polystyrene (PS). Moreover, further reductions were observed when α-ZrP was added. The reduction in flammability was attributed to a lower maximum mass loss rate and more char residues of the nanocomposites involved in thermal degradation.     

Mullite–zirconia–zircon composites: Properties and thermal shock resistance

In the refractory field mullite and zirconia are the basis of materials used in the glass industry or when high chemical stability and corrosion resistance are necessary. In this work various mullite–zirconia/zircon compositions were investigated to improve the thermal shock (TS) resistance of dense composites produced by slip casting and sintering at 1600 °C. Zircon (SiZrO₄) acts as bonding phase and its thermal decomposition adds zirconia and silica to the material. Resultant composites were characterized by density and dilatometric measurements, XRD and SEM techniques. TS behavior was tested by quenching in water with quenching temperature differentials ΔT from 400 to 1200 °C. The degree of damage after the TS was experimentally evaluated through the variation of the elastic modulus E which is measured by the excitation technique. The severity of the TS test and the effect of the number of thermal cycles on E for each ΔT employed were determined.The tested materials retained their original mechanical properties for temperatures below a critical temperature ΔT_c near 600 °C. Materials quenched from ΔT of 1000 °C showed as much as 30% reduction in E indicating the important microstructure damage. The TS resistance improved with increasing zircon addition to 35 wt% in agreement with the behavior predicted from R parameter for crack initiation.     

Densified multiwalled carbon nanotubes–titanium nitride composites with enhanced thermal properties

Densified multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT)–TiN composites with various MWNTs contents were successfully obtained through a spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. The thermal conductivity k was found to increase with the MWNT amount and temperature. In the presence of 5 wt% MWNTs, there was a 97% enhancement in k at 703 K compared with that of TiN. The high thermal conductivity of MWNTs, a good interfacial combination and a homogeneous dispersion of MWNTs are key issues to enhance the thermal conductivity of MWNT–TiN composites.     

Glass–ceramics as oxidation resistant bond coat in thermal barrier coating system

Thermal barrier coating (TBC) system consisting of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) top coat, glass–ceramic bond coat and nickel base superalloy substrate was subjected to static oxidation test at 1200 °C for 500 h in air. Oxidation resistance of this TBC system was compared with the conventional TBC system under identical heat treatment condition. Both the TBC systems were characterized by SEM as well as EDX analysis. No TGO layer was found between the bond coat and the top coat in the case of glass–ceramic bonded TBC system while the conventional TBC system exhibited a TGO layer of about 16 μm thickness at the bond coat-top coat interface region.     

Improved thermal–hydraulic performance of a microchannel with hierarchical honeycomb porous ribs

Microchannel cooling technology has been proven to be extraordinarily efficient for the removal of heat flux in electronic devices. Here, we numerically investigate the thermal and hydraulic characteristics of microchannels with different shapes of ribs, namely, circular ribs, square ribs, regular ribs, and hierarchical honeycomb ribs. Those ribs are composed of solid and porous media. Results indicate that heat transfer can be promoted by adding different shapes of ribs. Especially, microchannels with hierarchical honeycomb ribs possess the greatest heat transfer capability. Pressure drop (Δp) and friction factor (f) display the largest values when microchannel ribs are hierarchical honeycomb and solid, whereas Δp of the microchannel with hierarchical honeycomb porous ribs dramatically decreases, which achieves an 81.1%–81.7% reduction. Results of j/f show that the microchannel with hierarchical honeycomb porous ribs presents the best comprehensive performance, which is ascribed to the superior heat transfer capability and the low Δp induced by the ultra-hydrophobic effect.     

Low thermal expansion behavior and thermal durability of ZrTiO4–Al2TiO5–Fe2O3 ceramics between 750 and 1400 °C

The thermal-shock-resistant materials in the system Al₂TiO₅–ZrTiO₄ (ZAT) were synthesized by oxide process. The range of ZAT compositions investigated had showed very low thermal expansions of 0.3∼1.3×10⁻⁶/K compared to 8.29×10⁻⁶/K of pure ZrTiO₄ and 0.68×10⁻⁶/K of polycrystalline Al₂TiO₅, respectively, compared with the theoretical thermal expansion coefficient for a single crystal of Al₂TiO₅, 9.70×10⁻⁶/K. The composites also had high thermal durability between 750 and 1400° for 100 h. The low thermal expansion and high thermal durability are apparently due to a combination of microcracking caused by the large thermal expansion anisotropy of the crystal axes of the Al₂TiO₅ phase and the limitation of grain growth Al₂TiO₅ by the ZrTiO₄. The microstructural degradation of the composites is presented here analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and dilatometry.     

Effect of γ-radiation on the structure and thermal properties of polyacrylonitrile fibres

-Radiation significantly affects both the initial structure and the thermal properties of PAN fibres. The following are probably the most important results of radiation exposure: the temperature of the beginning of cyclization decreases; the exothermic nature of cyclization decreases so that the weight losses in the region of the m.p. decrease, indicating destructive processes in the polymer chain; when irradiated samples are heated, intermolecular cross-links form with the participation of oxygen; the duration of oxidation of the fibres before a given density level is attained is reduced significantly.St. Petersburg University of Design and Technology. Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 3, pp. 18–21, May–June, 1995.     

High-temperature mechanical and thermal properties of Ca1−xSrxZrO3 solid solutions

Perovskite oxides are promising thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) materials but their thermophysical properties still need to be further improved before commercial applications. In this work, mechanical/thermal properties of calcium-strontium zirconate solid solutions (Ca_1−xSr_xZrO₃) are investigated. Comparing to the end-compounds CaZrO₃ and SrZrO₃, the solid solutions achieve the enhanced thermal expansion coefficient, decreased thermal conductivity as well as good high-temperature mechanical properties. The experimental thermal conductivities of Ca_1−xSr_xZrO₃ (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) are in the range of 1.76-1.94 W·(m·K)⁻¹ at 1073 K, being lower than that of the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). At the same time, their thermal expansion coefficients (10.75 × 10⁻⁶-11.23 × 10⁻⁶/K at 1473 K) are comparable to that of YSZ. Moreover, the Young's moduli of Ca_0.8Sr_0.2ZrO₃, Ca_0.6Sr_0.4ZrO₃, Ca_0.4Sr_0.6ZrO₃, and Ca_0.2Sr_0.8ZrO₃ at 1473 K are 70.7%, 69.4%, 68.8%, and 71.1% of the corresponding values at room temperature, respectively. The good high-temperature mechanical and thermal properties ensure the potential applications of Ca_1−xSr_xZrO₃ solid solutions as high-temperature thermal insulation materials including TBCs.