Polymers in molten inorganic salt hydrate phase change materials: solubility and gelation

Abstract

Molten inorganic salt hydrates as unique solvents for polymers and the application of polymer gels for thermal energy storage are highlighted.

Application of Nanocomposite Energy Storage Materials in Green Building Design

“…Phase change energy storage can alleviate the mismatch between energy supply and demand in terms of time, intensity, and location. It is an important technical means to improve energy utilization efficiency and energy conservation and emission reduction, and its research has attracted the attention of many scholars [ 7 , 8 ]. With the continuous increase of population and the substantial growth of urbanized residents, the energy consumption of residential and commercial buildings accounts for a large part of my country's energy consumption.…”

Strong, thermo-reversible salogels with boronate ester bonds as thermal energy storage materials

“…1,2 Among several types of PCMs that include organic and inorganic materials, inorganic salt hydrates composed of inorganic salt and water stand out as low-cost, non-ammable materials with high heat storage capacities. 3 However, low viscosity of molten inorganic salt hydrates leads to leakage from the thermal storage module. 2,3 Several strategies using inorganic matrices and polymer networks were developed to provide shape stabilization of the salt hydrate in its liquid state.…”

“…3 However, low viscosity of molten inorganic salt hydrates leads to leakage from the thermal storage module. 2,3 Several strategies using inorganic matrices and polymer networks were developed to provide shape stabilization of the salt hydrate in its liquid state. [3][4][5][6][7][8] Polymers such as polyacrylamide, 4,8 selfcuring acrylic resin, 5 UV cured polyurethane acrylate, 6 and poly (acrylate sodium) 7 have been used as shape stabilizing matrices for salt hydrates and their eutectics.…”

“…2,3 Several strategies using inorganic matrices and polymer networks were developed to provide shape stabilization of the salt hydrate in its liquid state. [3][4][5][6][7][8] Polymers such as polyacrylamide, 4,8 selfcuring acrylic resin, 5 UV cured polyurethane acrylate, 6 and poly (acrylate sodium) 7 have been used as shape stabilizing matrices for salt hydrates and their eutectics. PCM loading varying from 42 to 90 wt% were reported with these matrices, which resulted in a lowering of heat of fusion and changes in the phase change temperature of the salt hydrate PCM.…”

“…3 This deciency sets a strong competition between ions and polymers for water molecules, making molten salt hydrates a unique media for dissolution or gelation of organic compounds and polymers. 3,11,12 Our work also revealed that the use of the physical crosslinking strategy for salogel strengthening requires addition of signicant amount of a crosslinker which is unfavorable for maintaining the heat of fusion characteristics of the neat PCM, and also leads to crosslinker clustering. 10,13 This work explores a novel approach for shape stabilization of inorganic salt hydrate PCMs using polymer gels crosslinked by dynamic covalent boronate ester bonds.…”