Graphene oxide stabilized polyethylene glycol for heat storage

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for thermal energy storage.
• Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a common PCM but suffers from leakage and instability when melted.
• Graphene oxide (GO) offers unique properties for material stabilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of graphene oxide (GO) sheets to stabilize polyethylene glycol (PEG) for enhanced heat storage.
• To analyze the structural properties and phase change behaviors of PEG-GO composites.
• To evaluate the potential of PEG-GO composites as smart heat storage systems.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of PEG-GO composites with varying PEG content.
• Comprehensive characterization of structural properties.
• Investigation of phase change behaviors using various techniques.
• Comparison with other porous carbon materials.

Main Results:

• The highest stabilized PEG content in PEG-GO composites was 90 wt%.
• The composites achieved a heat storage capacity of 156.9 J g(-1), retaining 93.9% of pure PEG's phase change enthalpy.
• GO significantly lowered the phase change temperature of PEG compared to other carbon materials.
• PEG-GO composites demonstrated high heat storage capacity and moderate phase change temperature.

Conclusions:

• Graphene oxide effectively stabilizes polyethylene glycol during phase change.
• PEG-GO composites are promising candidates for smart heat storage systems at mild temperatures.
• The unique structure of GO enhances its performance in stabilizing PEG and modifying its phase change properties.