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Updated: Jul 8, 2025
Synthesis and Functionalization of 3D Nano-graphene Materials: Graphene Aerogels and Graphene Macro Assemblies
Published on: November 5, 2015
Fe3O4/carbon-decorated graphene boosts photothermal conversion and storage of phase change materials
Changqing Liu1, Lei Wang2, Yang Li3
1School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shaoyang University, Shaoyang 422000, China; Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Efficient Power System and Intelligent Manufacturing, Shaoyang University, Shaoyang 422000, China.
Abstract:
Pristine organic phase change materials (PCMs) are difficult to complete photothermal conversion and storage. To upgrade their photothermal conversion and storage capacity, we developed Fe-MOF (metal-organic framework) derived Fe3O4/C-decorated graphene (GP) based composite PCMs toward solar energy harvesting. Graphene is an excellent phonon conductor, and Fe3O4/C-GP as a photon capturer exhibits strong full-spectrum absorption. Additionally, Fe-MOF derived Fe3O4 nanoparticles are anchored on graphene nanosheets to reduce interfacial thermal resistance, shorten thermal diffusion path, and accelerate phonon transport. After the encapsulation of octadecanol (ODA) in Fe3O4/C-GP, ODA@Fe3O4/C-GP composite PCMs yield a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 88.18 % under 0.12 W/cm2 benefiting from the synergistic effect of 3D interconnected graphene framework and Fe3O4 nanoparticles with localized surface plasmon resonance effect. Moreover, ODA@Fe3O4/C-GP composite PCMs exhibit excellent latent heat storage stability, photothermal conversion stability and durable reliability after undergoing multiple cycle evaluation, boosting high-efficiency utilization of solar energy.
