Preparation and characterization of phase transition/graphite foam composite materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Composite Materials
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Phase change material/graphite foam (PCM/GF) composites integrate phase change materials within a graphite foam matrix.
• These materials are designed for thermal energy storage applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize PCM/GF composites using various phase change materials.
• To evaluate the thermal and mechanical properties of the developed composite materials.

Main Methods:

• Graphite foam was prepared using the soft template method, achieving a thermal conductivity of 5.44 W/(m·K).
• Four phase change materials—eicosane, acetamide, xylitol, and erythritol—were infiltrated into the graphite foam.

Main Results:

• Erythritol-based PCM/GF composites demonstrated the highest melting point (118.5°C) and enthalpy of fusion (266.3 J/g).
• Xylitol-based composites exhibited the lowest weight loss (2.1%) after ten thermal cycles and the highest compressive strength (9.08 MPa).
• Eicosane-based composites had the lowest compressive strength (3.32 MPa).

Conclusions:

• Erythritol and xylitol show promise as phase change materials for PCM/GF composites due to their superior thermal and mechanical properties, respectively.
• The choice of phase change material significantly impacts the performance characteristics of the composite.
• These findings contribute to the development of advanced thermal energy storage solutions.