Facile Ester-based Phase Change Materials Synthesis for Enhanced Energy Storage Toward Battery Thermal Management

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for thermal management but face challenges with traditional modification methods.
• Physical modification of PCMs often leads to stability and compatibility issues.
• There is a need for advanced PCMs with improved thermal properties and broader operating temperature ranges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel ester-based phase change materials (PCMs) using a simple chemical synthesis method.
• To investigate the thermal properties, including phase change temperature range and latent heat, of the synthesized PCMs.
• To evaluate the performance of the synthesized PCMs in a thermal management application for batteries.

Main Methods:

• Seven ester-based PCMs were synthesized via chemical reactions between lauric acid and seven different alcohols.
• The phase change temperature range and latent heat of the synthesized PCMs were characterized.
• A PCM immersion technique was employed to assess the thermal management capability for batteries.

Main Results:

• The synthesized ester-based PCMs exhibited a significantly broadened phase change temperature range, from -8.99 to 46.60 °C.
• These materials demonstrated excellent thermal stability and high latent heat, with a maximum value of 182.98 J g⁻¹.
• In battery thermal management, the PCM immersion method maintained battery temperature below 60 °C for 20.5 hours, significantly outperforming the control group.

Conclusions:

• The chemically synthesized ester-based PCMs offer a promising alternative to traditional PCMs for thermal management.
• The developed materials exhibit superior thermal properties and effective temperature regulation capabilities.
• The PCM immersion technique presents an innovative and efficient approach for enhancing battery safety and operational efficiency.