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CaCl2·6H2O/Expanded graphite composite as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage

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Abstract

In this study, CaCl2·6H2O/expanded graphite (EG) composite was prepared as a novel form-stable composite phase change material (PCM) through vacuum impregnation method. CaCl2·6H2O used as the PCM was dispersed by surfactant and then, was absorbed into the porous structure of the EG. The surfactant was used to enhance the bonding energy between CaCl2·6H2O and EG, which fulfilled the composites with good sealing performance and limited the leakage of the inside CaCl2·6H2O. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis show that all the composite PCMs possess good thermal energy storage behavior and thermal stability. Thermal conductivity measurement displays that the conductivities of the samples have been significantly improved due to the highly thermal conductive EG. The thermal conductivity of the sample including 50 mass% CaCl2·6H2O (8.796 W m−1 K−1) is 14 times as that of pure CaCl2·6H2O (0.596 W m−1 K−1). Therefore, the obtained composite PCMs are promising for thermal energy storage applications.

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Acknowledgements

The authors greatly appreciate the financial support by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51102230, 20833009, 51071146, 21173111, 20903095, 51071081, 51101145, U0734005 and 51102230), Liaoning BaiQianWan Talents Program (No. 2010921050), Liaoning Education Committee (L2010223), Solar Energy Action Plan of CAS and the National Basic Research Program (973 program) of China (2010CB631303).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha, 410004, Hunan, China

    Zhi-jun Duan & Zhong Cao

  2. Department of Material Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Electrical Technology, Guilin, 541004, China

    Zhi-jun Duan, Huan-zhi Zhang, Li-xian Sun, Fen Xu, Yong-jin Zou, Hai-liang Chu, Shu-jun Qiu, Cui-li Xiang & Huai-ying Zhou

  3. Materials and Thermochemistry Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Dalian, 116023, China

    Li-xian Sun

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  1. Zhi-jun Duan
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  2. Huan-zhi Zhang
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Correspondence to Li-xian Sun, Zhong Cao or Fen Xu.

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Duan, Zj., Zhang, Hz., Sun, Lx. et al. CaCl2·6H2O/Expanded graphite composite as form-stable phase change materials for thermal energy storage. J Therm Anal Calorim 115, 111–117 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-013-3311-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-013-3311-0

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