Phase change materials (PCMs) having a large latent heat during solid-liquid phase transition are promising for thermal energy storage applications. However, the relatively low thermal conductivity of the majority of promising PCMs (<10 W/ (m ⋅ K)) limits the power density and overall storage efficiency.
Thermal conductivity enhancement of phase change material The necessity to enhance thermal conductivity of the PCMs is evident due to its low energy charging/discharging rates. Therefore, the additives to enhance thermal conductivity or to form the composite PCMs are searched to achieve high energy charging/discharging rates.
The strategies for tuning the thermal conductivity of PCMs and their potential energy applications, such as thermal energy harvesting and storage, thermal management of batteries, thermal diodes, and other forms of energy utilization, are summarized systematically.
We also identify future research opportunities for PCM in thermal energy storage. Solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) have been studied for decades, with application to thermal management and energy storage due to the large latent heat with a relatively low temperature or volume change.
YU et al. prepared a thermally conductive PCMs based on graphitized graphene aerogels with a high longitudinal thermal conductivity of 8.87 W/mK and transversal thermal conductivity of 2.68 W/mK .
Phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage Thermal energy can be stored as latent energy by heating and cooling the material without much visible temperature change. The stored energy can be retrieved when the process is reversed.