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A 3D Printable Thermal Energy Storage Crystalline Gel Using Mask-Projection Stereolithography
Yuchen Mao1,2, Takuya Miyazaki3, Kohei Sakai4
1Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Organic Materials Science, Yamagata University, 4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan. maoyc91@gmail.com.
Polymers
|April 10, 2019
Summary
This study introduces 3D printed crystalline gels for thermal energy storage. These novel P(SA-DMAA) gels exhibit high energy storage and thermoregulation, simplifying PCM applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Phase change materials (PCMs) often require auxiliary components or containment.
- 3D printing offers advanced material development and simplified production.
- Existing PCMs face limitations in direct application and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel 3D printable crystalline gels for thermal energy storage.
- To investigate the fabrication of these gels using light-induced polymerization.
- To evaluate the thermal properties and printability of P(SA-DMAA) gels.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mask-projection stereolithography for 3D printing.
- Synthesized P(SA-DMAA) gels with varying molar ratios.
- Assessed printing precision at milli- and micro- scales.
- Compared 3D printed gels with conventionally produced samples.
Main Results:
- Achieved high printing precision for P(SA-DMAA) gels, especially with a small SA fraction.
- 3D printed gels demonstrated high crystallinity.
- Identified optimal gel composition with an energy storage enthalpy of 69.6 J·g⁻¹.
- Confirmed good thermoregulation properties between 25-40 °C.
Conclusions:
- Developed a novel 3D printing strategy for self-supporting thermal energy storage gels.
- P(SA-DMAA) crystalline gels show significant potential for thermal energy storage and thermoregulation.
- These materials are feasible for practical applications, integrating thermal functions directly via 3D printing.
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