Characterization of Expanded Graphite Microstructure and Fabrication of Composite Phase-Change Material for Energy Storage
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27, Issue 4
Abstract
Phase-change composites for energy storage were prepared by the expanded graphite (EG) absorption method and their microstructures were analyzed. The organic phase-change materials (PCMs) were evaluated for their thermal and latent heat storage properties. The expanded graphite was prepared under the microwave irradiation. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry analyses showed that expanded graphite had micron-size pores. The EG was able to easily absorb organic PCMs because of its nonpolarity and porosity. Composite PCMs for energy storage were fabricated with paraffin and the expanded graphite. The resulting material showed superior heat storage (releasing) effects and reduced large-range fluctuation in environmental temperature, thus achieving energy transfer simultaneously across different times and space.
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Acknowledgments
This work was sponsored by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation (LY12E08019).
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Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 27 • Issue 4 • April 2015
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 15, 2013
Accepted: Mar 24, 2014
Published online: Jul 30, 2014
Discussion open until: Dec 30, 2014
Published in print: Apr 1, 2015
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