title: Enhanced performance and interfacial investigation of mineral-based composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage.
abstract: A novel mineral-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) was prepared via vacuum impregnation method assisted with microwave-acid treatment of the graphite (G) and bentonite (B) mixture. Graphite and microwave-acid treated bentonite mixture (GBm) had more loading capacity and higher crystallinity of stearic acid (SA) in the SA/GBm composite. The SA/GBm composite showed an enhanced thermal storage capacity, latent heats for melting and freezing (84.64 and 84.14 J/g) was higher than those of SA/B sample (48.43 and 47.13 J/g, respectively). Addition of graphite was beneficial to the enhancement in thermal conductivity of the SA/GBm composite, which could reach 0.77 W/m K, 31% higher than SA/B and 196% than pure SA. Furthermore, atomic-level interfaces between SA and support surfaces were depicted, and the mechanism of enhanced thermal storage properties was in detail investigated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Materials, School of Resources Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
authors.forename: Chuanchang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liangjie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.forename: Huaming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D001546:Bentonite / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013814:Thermal Conductivity
chemical_list: D013229:Stearic Acids; D001546:Bentonite; C031183:stearic acid; D006108:Graphite