Paraffin wax (PW) is widely used as a phase change material (PCM) in the thermal energy storage field, whereas the leakage and strong rigidity of PW have hindered its practical applications. In this work, binary melamine foam (MF)/PW blends with simultaneous thermal energy storage and shape memory properties were prepared through vacuum impregnation. Herein, PW performs as a latent heat storage material and as a switching phase for shape fixation and MF serves as a supporting material to prevent the leakage and as a permanent phase for shape recovery. Due to the light weight and super-elasticity of MF, the MF/PW PCMs possess not only good encapsulation ability and a high latent heat, but also excellent shape-fixing and recovery properties (shapefixing and recovery ratios are about 100%). Besides, the MF/PW PCMs can be fabricated into arbitrary shapes using MF as a template, and they exhibit excellent shape memory cyclic performance and thermal reliability. A temperature-sensitive and temperature-controlled deployable panel is further established, which can be installed in the electronic device and used for temperature protection. With high thermal energy storage capability, excellent shape memory properties, shape designability, and stable cycling reliability, this multifunctional MF/PW PCM shows a promising application in thermal energy management systems.
Strong rigidity, low thermal conductivity, and
short of multi-driven capabilities of form-stable phase change materials
(FSPCMs) have limited their practical utilization. Herein, we report
a shape-adaptable FSPCM with the coinstantaneous light/electro-driven
shape memory properties and light/electro-to-thermal
energy storage performance. The FSPCM is fabricated by incorporating
the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) into the cellulose nanofiber/graphene
nanoplatelet (GNP) hybrid-coated melamine foam (CG@MF). The CG@MF/PEG
FSPCMs show a good encapsulation effect, enhanced thermal conductivity,
and large melting enthalpy (178.9 J g–1). Due to
the high elasticity of MF and the excellent photothermal conversion
and electrical conductivity of the GNP network, the CG@MF/PEG FSPCMs
exhibit a remarkable light/electro-driven shape memory effect by activating
the phase change process of PEG. Meanwhile, the CG@MF/PEG FSPCMs can
effectively convert light or electric energy into heat energy and
reposit the converted energy during the phase change process. Furthermore,
the CG@MF/PEG FSPCMs possess excellent multiresponsive self-adhesion
properties. A light-sensitive, shape-adaptable, and thermal-insulating
container is further explored. This study provides routes toward the
development of multiresponsive shape-adaptable FSPCMs for energy storage
applications.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.