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Effect of carbon nanotube interfacial geometry on thermal transport in solid–liquid phase change materials

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  • Warzoha, Ronald J.
  • Fleischer, Amy S.

Abstract

For nearly two decades, research groups have attempted to increase the thermal conductivity of bulk materials by saturating them with different concentrations and types of nanoparticles. However, optimal enhancements in the thermal conductivity of these materials continue to go unrealized, primarily due to interfacial phenomena that impede phonon propagation from the bulk material to the nanoparticle or between individual, contacting nanoparticles. Though it is almost certain that interfacial resistances between contacting nanoparticles are responsible for the underwhelming thermal performance of nanoparticles in bulk materials, the physical mechanisms that limit thermal transport at nanoparticle junctions is not well understood. In this study, we investigate the effect of nanoparticle constriction size (i.e. the contact area between linked nanoparticles) on the bulk thermal conductivity of a surrounding paraffin-based phase change material. To this end, we measure the effective thermal conductivity of different Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT)/paraffin nanocomposites is measured with the transient plane source technique. Using a newly developed physical model, the interfacial thermal resistance between the contacting nanoparticles is determined as a function of the constriction geometry. Results suggest that the thermal conductance (i.e. the rate of heat transfer) between contacting MWCNTs can be increased by a factor of 27 by increasing their diameter by only 58nm. This is in direct conflict with effective medium approximations, which predict an increase in the bulk thermal conductivity of MWCNT–PCM composites when MWCNT diameters are reduced. Such a result indicates that the contact area between individual, contacting nanoparticles has a significant impact on thermal transport within the PCM nanocomposite, and therefore its bulk thermal conductivity. It is expected that these results will strongly impact the design of nanoparticle-laden PCMs.

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  • Warzoha, Ronald J. & Fleischer, Amy S., 2015. "Effect of carbon nanotube interfacial geometry on thermal transport in solid–liquid phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 271-276.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:154:y:2015:i:c:p:271-276
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.04.121
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Warzoha, Ronald J. & Weigand, Rebecca M. & Fleischer, Amy S., 2015. "Temperature-dependent thermal properties of a paraffin phase change material embedded with herringbone style graphite nanofibers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 716-725.
    2. Nithyanandam, K. & Pitchumani, R. & Mathur, A., 2014. "Analysis of a latent thermocline storage system with encapsulated phase change materials for concentrating solar power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1446-1460.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lin, Yaxue & Jia, Yuting & Alva, Guruprasad & Fang, Guiyin, 2018. "Review on thermal conductivity enhancement, thermal properties and applications of phase change materials in thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2730-2742.
    2. Li, Min & Mu, Boyuan, 2019. "Effect of different dimensional carbon materials on the properties and application of phase change materials: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 695-715.
    3. Jung, Hyunjun & Subban, Chinmayee V. & McTigue, Joshua Dominic & Martinez, Jayson J. & Copping, Andrea E. & Osorio, Julian & Liu, Jian & Deng, Z. Daniel, 2022. "Extracting energy from ocean thermal and salinity gradients to power unmanned underwater vehicles: State of the art, current limitations, and future outlook," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    4. Lv, Peizhao & Liu, Chenzhen & Rao, Zhonghao, 2016. "Experiment study on the thermal properties of paraffin/kaolin thermal energy storage form-stable phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 475-487.
    5. Wu, Weixiong & Wu, Wei & Wang, Shuangfeng, 2019. "Form-stable and thermally induced flexible composite phase change material for thermal energy storage and thermal management applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 10-21.
    6. Wei, Gaosheng & Wang, Gang & Xu, Chao & Ju, Xing & Xing, Lijing & Du, Xiaoze & Yang, Yongping, 2018. "Selection principles and thermophysical properties of high temperature phase change materials for thermal energy storage: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 1771-1786.
    7. Wang, Hongfei & Wang, Fanxu & Li, Zongtao & Tang, Yong & Yu, Binhai & Yuan, Wei, 2016. "Experimental investigation on the thermal performance of a heat sink filled with porous metal fiber sintered felt/paraffin composite phase change material," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 221-232.
    8. Li, Zongtao & Wu, Yuxuan & Zhuang, Baoshan & Zhao, Xuezhi & Tang, Yong & Ding, Xinrui & Chen, Kaihang, 2017. "Preparation of novel copper-powder-sintered frame/paraffin form-stable phase change materials with extremely high thermal conductivity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1147-1157.
    9. Tang, Yaojie & Su, Di & Huang, Xiang & Alva, Guruprasad & Liu, Lingkun & Fang, Guiyin, 2016. "Synthesis and thermal properties of the MA/HDPE composites with nano-additives as form-stable PCM with improved thermal conductivity," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 116-129.

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