A Formable Wood-Based Phase Change Materials with Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Thermal Efficiency for Smart...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Energy
• Smart Buildings

Background:

• Solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for thermal management in smart buildings.
• Existing PCMs face challenges like liquid leakage and poor mechanical integrity.
• Developing robust and efficient PCMs is essential for energy conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel wood-form-stable phase change composite (DWTP) with enhanced thermal and mechanical properties.
• To address the limitations of conventional PCMs, specifically leakage and mechanical degradation.
• To evaluate the performance of the DWTP for thermal management applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of DWTP through self-assembly of polyethylene glycol and in situ mineralization.
• Characterization of the multi-scale network structure via hydrogen bonding.
• Assessment of thermal properties (enthalpy), mechanical strength, thermal stability, and cycling performance.
• Evaluation in outdoor thermal management tests.

Main Results:

• The DWTP exhibits a high enthalpy of 94.73 J g^-1 and exceptional tensile strength of 134.42 MPa.
• The material demonstrates remarkable load-bearing capacity (110x weight) without deformation or leakage above its phase transition temperature.
• Excellent thermal stability with 97.3% performance retention after 50 thermal-cold cycles.
• Outdoor tests showed a maximum sub-ambient temperature reduction of 14.1 °C at 50 °C ambient temperature.

Conclusions:

• The developed DWTP offers a promising solution for advanced thermal energy storage with superior mechanical stability and leakage prevention.
• This biomass-derived material represents a significant advancement in sustainable thermal management solutions for buildings.
• The DWTP's high performance and durability position it as a next-generation material for energy conservation in smart environments.