Experimental study on the phase change and thermal properties of paraffin/carbon materials based thermal energy storage materials

In order to enhance the thermal energy storage efficiency of phase change materials, in this paper, expanded graphite (EG), multi-layer graphene nanoplatelet (MGN), graphite powder (GP) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as the effective heat transfer promoters in different mass fraction (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.5 wt.%) were added into the paraffin. The chemical properties, latent heat capacities, thermal conductivities and heat storage performances of paraffin and the composites were investigated. The results showed that the addition of EG, MGN, GP and MWCNT could increase the thermal conductivity of paraffin. At 20 °C, the thermal conductivity of the paraffin was increased by 61.04%, 51.2%, 12.18% and 10.22% with 2.5 wt.% EG, MGN, GP and MWCNT, respectively. In addition, with the same mass fraction, the heat storage and release time of the composite were 56.03% and 54.26%, respectively, shorter than that of paraffin when the additive was EG.     

Experimental study on enhanced heat transfer of nanocomposite phase change materials

Nanocomposite phase change materials (NCPCMs) containing different mass fractions (nanomaterial concentration) and different copper nanoparticle (CN)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) mass ratios were prepared and experimentally studied. Latent heat and thermal conductivity of the NCPCMs were studied and calculated by using the T-history method. The results revealed that addition of CN or MWCNT to the phase change material (PCM) resulted in NCPCMs with enhanced thermal conductivity and charge rates, respectively. However, when both nanoparticle materials were added to the PCM simultaneously, the resulting NCPCMs improved their thermal performance below expectations as a result of agglomeration and sedimentation between the two additives. Thus, the NCPCMs containing only CN or MWCNT showed superior thermophysical properties than the pure PCM, while the NCPCM containing both CN and MWCNT did not improve the thermal characteristic of PCM significantly.     

微胶囊相变蓄能技术研究现状与进展

微胶囊相变材料是一种新型的复合相变蓄能材料。文中介绍了微胶囊相变蓄能材料的性质,着重阐述了微胶囊相变蓄能材料的制备方法,并分析了微胶囊相变蓄能材料在工业领域的应用,总结了微胶囊相变蓄能材料的发展趋势。     

纳米石墨烯片-正十八烷复合相变材料制备及热物性研究

本文分别制备了纳米石墨烯片质量分数为0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%的纳米石墨烯片-正十八烷复合相变材料,并通过扫描电镜测试、红外光谱分析、差示扫描量热实验及导热分析等实验对其形貌结构及热物性进行表征和研究.实验表明本文制备的纳米石墨烯-正十八烷复合相变材料具有很好的相变稳定性;当纳米石墨烯片的质量分数达到2%时,复合相变材料的导热系数相对于纯十八烷高出了89.4%.     

相变蓄冷材料制备及热性能研究

制备了一种空调用相变蓄冷材料,该蓄冷材料由两种相变材料(辛酸和软脂酸)组成,通过加热搅拌的方法将其制备成均匀的共晶相变蓄冷材料,实验分析了所研制的蓄冷材料的相变点、相变潜热等性能。测试结果表明该相变蓄冷材料具有适宜的相变温度和较高的相变潜热,可用作空调蓄冷材料。     

Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Epoxy/Carbon Fiber Composites Reinforced with Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes

Multi-scale hybrid composite laminates of epoxy/carbon fiber (CF) reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were fabricated in an autoclave. For laminate fabrication, 0.5 wt% of pristine MWCNTs or silane-functionalized MWNCTs (f-MWCNTs) were dispersed into a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A epoxy system and applied on the woven carbon fabric. The neat epoxy/CF composite and the MWCNTs-reinforced epoxy/CF hybrid composites were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), thermomechanical analysis (TMA), tensile testing, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). A significant improvement in initial decomposition temperature and glass transition temperature of epoxy/CF composite was observed when reinforced with 0.5 wt% of f-MWCNTs. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), measured by TMA, diminished by 22% compared to the epoxy/CF composite, indicating an improvement in dimensional stability of the hybrid composite. No significant improvement in tensile properties of either MWCNTs/epoxy/CF composites was observed compared to those of the neat epoxy/CF composite.     

石墨烯气凝胶复合相变材料的热物性研究

相变材料利用其相变潜热能力可吸收储存和释放利用热量,同时在相变过程中其温度浮动小,能够实现温度控制从而用于热管理.但是其低热导率和易泄露问题严重制约了其性能.石墨烯气凝胶因其丰富的多孔结构而具有较大的比表面积,可吸附相变材料解决其泄露问题,同时石墨烯的高导热系数可提高相变材料的热导率.这里选取正十八烷为相变材料,制备了不同质量分数的石墨烯气凝胶复合相变材料.测得石墨烯气凝胶含量为13.99 wt%的样品,其导热系数比纯正十八烷高出306.2%,熔化潜热和凝固潜热分别下降了13.8%和10.8%.分子动力学模拟结果表明,石墨烯气凝胶的引入会在一定程度上增强正十八烷分子的有序性和一致性,即在同一温度下复合相变材料中的正十八烷分子比纯正十八烷分子拥有更集中分布的末端距和扭转角,径向分布函数和自扩散系数都相对较低,说明石墨烯材料的引入可以提升正十八烷的导热系数.     

多壁碳纳米管/聚丙烯复合材料热导率研究

用Pt细丝代替已有3ω方法中的薄膜热线,并设计了基于Labview程序的虚拟测量系统,准确、方便地测量了聚丙烯复合材料的热导率. 测量结果发现,多壁碳纳米管/丁苯橡胶/聚丙烯三元复合材料的热导率随着多壁碳纳米管/丁苯橡胶粉末含量的增加变化不大;多壁碳纳米管/聚丙烯复合材料的热导率随着多壁碳纳米管含量增加而增大;复合材料热导率远小于简单混合规则预测的结果,而与有效介质理论符合很好. 关键词： ω法')" href="#">3ω法 多壁碳纳米管 聚丙烯复合材料 热导率     

Thermal energy storage behaviour of nanoparticle enhanced PCM during freezing and melting

The present research work aimed to investigate the melting and solidification characteristics of NPCM. The NPCM was prepared using paraffin as the PCM and high conductive MWCNT as the nanomaterial without using any dispersant. The NPCM was prepared by dispersing MWCNTs with volume fractions of 0.3%, 0.6% and 0.9% in PCM as the base PCM. SEM morphology showed the uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in the paraffin wax. The MWCNT nano-additives PCMs showed two peaks in the heating curve by DSC measurement. Lessening in melting and solidification time of 30% and 43% was attained in the case of NPCM with 0.3% and 0.9%, respectively. It is observed from the DSC analysis that the latent heat of pure paraffin during freezing and melting cycle was 139.2 J/g (at 56.61 °C) and 131.8 J/g (at 57.55 °C), respectively. Whereas, the latent heat of NPCM with 0.9% of nanofluid was 150.7 J/g (at 56.36 °C) and 148.3 J/g (58.35 °C). It is construed that a maximum change in latent heat of 7.6% and 11% was observed between pure PCM and NPCM during freezing and melting cycle. For the lesser nanoparticle concentration (0.3% and 0.6%), the percentage change in latent heat was lesser than 0.9%.     

The effect of phase change materials on the frontal polymerization of a triacrylate

The production of smoke and fumes is a major obstacle to the practical use of thermal frontal polymerization. The front temperature and the amount of smoking can be reduced by adding inert fillers, such as clay and silica, to the reactive mixture. Here we investigate the possibility of incorporating inert materials that melt (so-called phase change materials) to the mixture. By performing both experiments and mathematical modeling, we demonstrate that, in addition to the standard parameters of frontal polymerization, the front temperature and velocity depend on the melting point and heat of fusion of the phase change material. We use the method of matched asymptotic expansions to develop an explicit expression for the velocity of the reaction front. The expression demonstrates that the behavior of the front is determined by the difference between the reaction temperature and the melting temperature, with the front being slower and cooler if melting occurs farther ahead of the reaction front. The theoretical trends are hard to confirm directly because different characteristics of the phase change material cannot be varied separately.     

Improvement of the mechanical and rheological properties of HDPE/PET/MWCNT nanocomposites

High density polyethylene (HDPE)/poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) (90/10 wt.%) blends and HDPE/PET/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing process, and the influence of MWCNTs on the mechanical and rheological properties of the nanocomposites was investigated. MWCNTs were added up to 5 wt.% in the HDPE/PET matrix. Transmission electron microscopy images reveal that the MWCNTs were homogeneously dispersed in the HDPE/PET matrix. Improvement of mechanical properties was observed by the addition of MWCNTs compared with HDPE/PET blends. Prominent increases in the complex viscosity and storage modulus of the nanocomposites were found with increasing MWCNT content.     

正二十四烷烃石蜡/膨胀石墨（EG）复合相变材料分子动力学模拟

相变材料(PCMs)在相变时的恒温、高能量密度等特性,经常应用于设备的热管理,但是PCMs导热系数低的缺点影响了其使用范围.本文采用分子动力学方法,模拟了在正二十四烷烃石蜡PCMs中添加不同结构(层状、交叉状)的膨胀石墨(EG)之后构成的复合PCMs的物性.文章通过径向分布函数(RDF)、声子态密度(PDOS)、比热容和导热系数这四个指标,分析了夹角为0°的层状结构,夹角为45°、90°的交叉状EG添加物对于石蜡热物性的影响. EG(0°、45°、90°)添加使得石蜡的原子分布在不同程度上变得更加均匀、紧密,使得石蜡的比热容有所增加.同时,两种类型的添加物提高了石蜡的PDOS,提高了导热系数.其中,EG(90°)添加物对于石蜡导热系数的提升最为明显,石蜡/EG(0°、45°、90°)模型中EG的含量分别为33.63 wt%、30.86 wt%和23.20 wt%,相比于的石蜡的导热系数分别提升了417.1%、345.7%和522.9%. EG的添加能够提高石蜡的导热系数,不同结构的EG对石蜡导热系数的影响有着较大的区别.     

Preparation,characterization, and performance study of beeswax/expanded graphite composite as thermal storage material

In this study, beeswax as a new energy storage material and its composite with expanded graphite were prepared and characterized for their surface and thermal properties. Surface characterization showed no chemical interaction between beeswax and expanded graphite. The thermal conductivity of the composite was improved with 117% enhancement. The thermal performance of beeswax and its composite as a heat storage material was studied in a rectangular shell-and-tube thermal storage unit. The melting point of the composite remained almost same as that of beeswax; however, the melting time was reduced considerably, from 540 to 360 min with inlet water at 80°C and a 2-lpm flow rate.     

Thermal conductivity and diffusion behaviour of lauric acid confined in carbon nanotubes as heat storage materials

The thermal conductivity and diffusion behaviour of lauric acid (LA) confined in single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) with the filling ratio of 80% are investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It is found that the concentric multilayer LA tubes are clearly observed under the interaction of CNT and LA and the hydrogen bonds (HB) among LA molecules in a confined environment. Due to the phonon scattering in low-frequency and the high-thermal conductivity characteristics of CNT, the axial thermal conductivity of CNT/LA is 49–57% lower than that of empty CNT and 115–188 times higher than that of crystal LA at the temperature range of 280 and 360?K. The confined LA molecules move as a whole cluster due to the long-lasting HB action and travel much faster than the bulk.     

Optical properties of carbon nanotubes and BaTiO3 composite thin films

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes and BaTiO₃ composite films have been prepared by pulsed-laser deposition technique at room temperature and high temperature of 600℃, separately. The structures of the composite films are investigated by using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The optical behaviours of the samples produced at different temperatures are compared with Raman spectroscopy, and UV-visible absorption. And the observation by Z-scan technique reveals that the composite films have a larger optical nonlinearity, and the samples prepared at high temperatures have better transmittance and opposite sign imaginary part of optical third-order nonlinearity.     

A comparison between the mechanical and thermal properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes and boron nitride nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are semimetallic while boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are wide band gap insulators. Despite the discrepancy in their electrical properties, a comparison between the mechanical and thermal properties of CNTs and BNNTs has a significant research value for their potential applications. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are performed to systematically investigate the mechanical and thermal properties of CNTs and BNNTs. The calculated Young’s modulus is about 1.1 TPa for CNTs and 0.72 TPa for BNNTs under axial compressions. The critical bucking strain and maximum stress are inversely proportional to both diameter and length-diameter ratio and CNTs are identified axially stiffer than BNNTs. Thermal conductivities of (10, 0) CNTs and (10, 0) BNNTs follow similar trends with respect to length and temperature and are lower than that of their two-dimensional counterparts, graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and BN nanoribbons (BNNRs), respectively. As the temperature falls below 200 K (130 K) the thermal conductivity of BNNTs (BNNRs) is larger than that of CNTs (GNRs), while at higher temperature it is lower than the latter. In addition, thermal conductivities of a (10, 0) CNT and a (10, 0) BNNT are further studied and analyzed under various axial compressive strains. Low-frequency phonons which mainly come from flexure modes are believed to make dominant contribution to the thermal conductivity of CNTs and BNNTs.     

聚苯胺/碳纳米管复合体的制备及其三阶非线性光学性能研究

通过原位吸附-受限生长聚合法成功制备了聚苯胺/碳纳米管(PANI/MWCNT)复合体.红外光谱和拉曼光谱证实了在碳纳米管(MWCNT)表面的包覆层为聚苯胺(PANI).紫外—可见吸收光谱表明随着MWCNT含量的增加PANI的吸收发生红移且强度提高.扫描电子显微镜和透射电子显微镜观察发现，PANI/MWCNT复合体直径为40—70nm，其中PANI的包覆层厚度约为15—20nm.利用四波混频方法测试它们的三阶非线性光学系数，结果发现PANI/MWCNT复合体的三阶非线性光学系数比纯PANI大，这说明在MWC 关键词： 碳纳米管 聚苯胺 复合体 三阶非线性光学系数     

Preparation and characterization of aligned carbon nanotubes/polylactic acid composite fibers

Aligned functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/polylactic acid (MWNTs-PCL/PLA) composite fibers were successfully prepared by electrospinning processing. The MWNTs bonded with the polycaprolactone chains exhibited excellent uniform dispersion in PLA solution by comparing with the acid-functionalized MWNTs and amino-functionalized MWNTs. Optical microscopy was used to study the aligned degree of the fibers and to investigate the influences of the electrodes distance on the alignment and structure of the fibers, and results showed that the best quality of aligned fibers with dense structure and high aligned degree were obtained at an electrodes distance of 3 cm. Moreover, the MWNTs embedded inside the MWNTs-PCL/PLA fibers displayed well orientation along the axes of the fibers, which was demonstrated by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy.     

Molecular alloys as phase change materials (MAPCM) for energy storage and thermal protection at temperatures from 70 to 85 °C

Molecular alloys, that combine a relatively high heat of melting with a suitable melting temperature adapted to the application temperature, are excellent materials for thermal protection and for thermal energy storage. Of special interest is the fact that, by making alloys of molecular materials; the range of melting can be adjusted over a range of temperatures. The present paper reports on the design of MAPCMs to be used for energy storage and thermal protection at temperatures from 70 to 85 °C. The aim is to use these materials for thermal protection in the catering sector in order to avoid proliferation of micro organisms; the minimal temperature required is higher than 65 °C. The work illustrates how some fundamental studies are helpful in choosing the right composition that is able to work at the temperature required for an application. Several molecular alloys using the n-alkanes are elaborated and characterized. The preparation of mixed crystals, their crystallographic and thermodynamic properties and stability, phase change behaviour, and their use in practical applications are reported.     

Preparation, magnetic and electromagnetic properties of polyaniline/strontium ferrite/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite

Strontium ferrite particles were firstly prepared by sol-gel method and self-propagating synthesis, and then the polyaniline/strontium ferrite/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composites were synthesized through in situ polymerization approach. Structure, morphology and properties of the composite were characterized by various instruments. XRD analysis shows that the output of PANI increases with the increase of the content of MWCNTs, due to the large surface area of MWCNTs. Because of the coating of PANI, the outer diameter of MWCNTs increases from 10 nm to 20-40 nm. The electrical conductivity of the composites increases with the amount increase of MWCNTs and reaches 7.2196 S/cm in the presence of 2 g MWCNTs. The coercive force of the composites prepared with 2 g MWCNTs is 7457.17 Oe, which is much bigger than that of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ particles 6145.6 Oe, however, both the saturation magnetization and the remanent magnetization of the composite become much smaller than those of SrFe₁₂O₁₉ particles. The electromagnetic properties of the composite are excellent in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz, which mainly depend on the dielectric loss in the range of 2-9 GHz, and mainly on the magnetic loss in the range of 9-18 GHz.