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Title: Nanostructure-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) and HRD

Abstract

Development and characterization of high aspect-ratio nanostructures tailored for dramatic improvements of thermal conductivity of phase change materials is proposed. This DOE renewal project builds upon a proven research record on development of a number of stable and functionality-proven colloids of metal oxide and metallic nanoparticles (avg. diameters less than 10 nm). These efforts followed original conceptualization and synergistic activities on promoting nanostructure-enhanced phase change materials (NePCM) and their utilization for thermal energy storage, waste heat recovery, thermal comfort, etc. Given this background, availability of promising preliminary results for the proposed target materials and formation of a new team of researchers, the investigators will focus on development of nanoadditives of metallic nanorods, functionalized carbon nanotubes, Graphene, graphite nanoplatelets, nanocomposites combining graphene with metal/metal oxide nanostructures and self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based nanomaterials. Specifically, the chemical synthesis group will identify procedures leading to nanorods of copper, copper oxide, silver and graphitic carbon exhibiting long-term stability against precipitation when dispersed in hydrocarbon solvents suitable for PCM applications. Important goals are to achieve nanorods with dimensions, including aspect ratio, that induce significant enhancements in thermal conductivity and also to control instabilities against rod precipitation during solvent freezing and melting. Another group will focus on developingmore » complex nanoarchitectured nanocomposites through utilizing heterostructures that combine graphene with metal or metal oxide nanostructures. These heterostructures will be mixed with paraffin, fatty acids, or stearyl alcohol to realize novel NePCM. Fundamental studies will be performed by conducting materials and thermal characterization methods and structure-processing-properties relationships will be derived. In addition, growth mechanisms for the proposed heterostructures will be evaluated. Another research team will undertake a variety of approaches to functionalize the surfaces of nanostructured carbon-based materials, i.e. carbon nanotubes, Graphene and graphite nanoplatelets. The proposed techniques include both surfactant- and polymer-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes, Graphene and graphite nanoplatelets, in addition to microwave-initiated carbon nanotube growth to produce 3-D nanocarbon fillers for NePCM. Functionalized and pristine carbon nanotubes will also be subjected to a strong magnetic field to explore the effect of controlled alignment on the improved thermal conductivity. Microwave-initiated nanotube growth on the surfaces of the voids of graphite foam will be attempted to extend the previous work on thermal conductivity improvement of PCM that are impregnated into porous highly-conductive structures. Refinements of continuum modeling of colloids and most importantly, molecular dynamics-based mechanistic studies for carbon nanotubes and Graphene-based multi-component systems will be pursued. Finally, self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based NePCM will be investigated by another group. A highly-conductive carbon nanofiber network, which is created by a self-assembling approach, will host the PCM and enhance the thermal conductivity by several folds. Furthermore, the inert and relatively stable carbon nanofiber will be further utilized for creating low-mid range temperature NePCM and high-temperature NePCM by filling the porous space inside the self-assembling carbon nanofiber network with paraffin-based or salt-based PCM, respectively. Improved thermal energy charge/discharge performance and stable phase change temperature control features exhibited by this new generation of self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based NePCM will potentially impact many applications including solar energy storage systems.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Auburn Univ., AL (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI Identifier:
1414272
Report Number(s):
November 2013 Technical Report
DOE Contract Number:  
SC0002470
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
25 ENERGY STORAGE; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE

Citation Formats

Khodadai, Jay. Nanostructure-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) and HRD. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.2172/1414272.
Khodadai, Jay. Nanostructure-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) and HRD. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1414272
Khodadai, Jay. 2013. "Nanostructure-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) and HRD". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/1414272. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1414272.
@article{osti_1414272,
title = {Nanostructure-enhanced Phase Change Materials (NePCM) and HRD},
author = {Khodadai, Jay},
abstractNote = {Development and characterization of high aspect-ratio nanostructures tailored for dramatic improvements of thermal conductivity of phase change materials is proposed. This DOE renewal project builds upon a proven research record on development of a number of stable and functionality-proven colloids of metal oxide and metallic nanoparticles (avg. diameters less than 10 nm). These efforts followed original conceptualization and synergistic activities on promoting nanostructure-enhanced phase change materials (NePCM) and their utilization for thermal energy storage, waste heat recovery, thermal comfort, etc. Given this background, availability of promising preliminary results for the proposed target materials and formation of a new team of researchers, the investigators will focus on development of nanoadditives of metallic nanorods, functionalized carbon nanotubes, Graphene, graphite nanoplatelets, nanocomposites combining graphene with metal/metal oxide nanostructures and self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based nanomaterials. Specifically, the chemical synthesis group will identify procedures leading to nanorods of copper, copper oxide, silver and graphitic carbon exhibiting long-term stability against precipitation when dispersed in hydrocarbon solvents suitable for PCM applications. Important goals are to achieve nanorods with dimensions, including aspect ratio, that induce significant enhancements in thermal conductivity and also to control instabilities against rod precipitation during solvent freezing and melting. Another group will focus on developing complex nanoarchitectured nanocomposites through utilizing heterostructures that combine graphene with metal or metal oxide nanostructures. These heterostructures will be mixed with paraffin, fatty acids, or stearyl alcohol to realize novel NePCM. Fundamental studies will be performed by conducting materials and thermal characterization methods and structure-processing-properties relationships will be derived. In addition, growth mechanisms for the proposed heterostructures will be evaluated. Another research team will undertake a variety of approaches to functionalize the surfaces of nanostructured carbon-based materials, i.e. carbon nanotubes, Graphene and graphite nanoplatelets. The proposed techniques include both surfactant- and polymer-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes, Graphene and graphite nanoplatelets, in addition to microwave-initiated carbon nanotube growth to produce 3-D nanocarbon fillers for NePCM. Functionalized and pristine carbon nanotubes will also be subjected to a strong magnetic field to explore the effect of controlled alignment on the improved thermal conductivity. Microwave-initiated nanotube growth on the surfaces of the voids of graphite foam will be attempted to extend the previous work on thermal conductivity improvement of PCM that are impregnated into porous highly-conductive structures. Refinements of continuum modeling of colloids and most importantly, molecular dynamics-based mechanistic studies for carbon nanotubes and Graphene-based multi-component systems will be pursued. Finally, self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based NePCM will be investigated by another group. A highly-conductive carbon nanofiber network, which is created by a self-assembling approach, will host the PCM and enhance the thermal conductivity by several folds. Furthermore, the inert and relatively stable carbon nanofiber will be further utilized for creating low-mid range temperature NePCM and high-temperature NePCM by filling the porous space inside the self-assembling carbon nanofiber network with paraffin-based or salt-based PCM, respectively. Improved thermal energy charge/discharge performance and stable phase change temperature control features exhibited by this new generation of self-assembling carbon nanofiber-based NePCM will potentially impact many applications including solar energy storage systems.},
doi = {10.2172/1414272},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1414272}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Nov 13 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Wed Nov 13 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}