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Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials in Solar-Thermal Conversion Systems: Understanding Geometry-Dependent
Zhaoliang Zheng1, Zhuo Chang2, Guang-Kui Xu3
1Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool , Crown Street, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom.
ACS Nano
|December 22, 2016
Summary
Nanocarbon-stabilized microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs) with hollow structures exhibit enhanced stability and heat diffusion. This geometry optimization improves solar-thermal conversion system efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Solar-thermal conversion systems benefit from microencapsulated phase change materials (MPCMs).
- Nanocarbons enhance MPCM performance, but their interaction with the shell and particle geometry are underexplored.
- Understanding MPCM geometry is crucial for optimizing heating efficiency and system reliability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the formation mechanism of different MPCM geometries within nanocarbon microcapsules.
- To analyze the effect of MPCM geometry on the MPCM-shell interaction.
- To evaluate the impact of geometry on heating efficiency and thermal stability.
Main Methods:
- Controlled cooling rates of original emulsions to produce hollow MPCMs (h-MPCMs) and solid MPCMs (s-MPCMs).
- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to analyze surface composition.
- Atomic force microscopy (AFM) to probe MPCM-shell interactions.
Main Results:
- h-MPCMs exhibit a nanocarbon-enriched capsule shell with stronger MPCM-shell interaction compared to s-MPCMs.
- h-MPCMs demonstrate superior stability and enhanced heat diffusivity across the phase transition range.
- The geometry of MPCMs significantly influences heating efficiency and thermal stability.
Conclusions:
- Hollow nanocarbon-stabilized MPCMs offer improved thermal performance and stability over solid counterparts.
- The nanocarbon enrichment in the shell of h-MPCMs is key to their enhanced properties.
- Findings provide fundamental insights into microencapsulation and have implications for advanced heating systems.
Keywords:
PF-QNMemulsificationencapsulation ratiomicroencapsulationnanocarbonsphase change materialssolar-thermal conversionMore Related Videos
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