Tailoring Carbon Nanotube Density for Modulating Electro-to-Heat Conversion in Phase Change Composites

We report a carbon nanotube array-encapsulated phase change composite in which the nanotube distribution (or areal density) could be tailored by uniaxial compression. The <i>n</i>-eicosane (C20) was infiltrated into the porous array to make a highly conductive nanocomposite while maintaining the nanotube dispersion and connection among the matrix with controlled nanotube areal density determined by the compressive strains along the lateral direction. The resulting electrically conductive composites can store heat at driven voltages as low as 1 V at fast speed with high electro-to-heat conversion efficiencies. Increasing the nanotube density is shown to significantly improve the polymer crystallinity and reduce the voltage for inducing the phase change process. Our results indicate that well-organized nanostructures such as the nanotube array are promising candidates to build high-performance phase change composites with simplified manufacturing process and modulated structure and properties

Electro- and Photodriven Phase Change Composites Based on Wax-Infiltrated Carbon Nanotube Sponges

Organic phase change materials are usually insulating in nature, and they are unlikely to directly trigger latent heat storage through an electrical way. Here we report a multifunctional phase change composite in which the energy storage can be driven by small voltages (<i>e</i>.<i>g</i>., 1.5 V) or light illumination with high electro-to-heat or photo-to-thermal storage efficiencies (40% to 60%). The composite is composed of paraffin wax infiltrated into a porous, deformable carbon nanotube sponge; the latter not only acts as a flexible encapsulation scaffold for wax but also maintains a highly conductive network during the phase change process (for both solid and liquid states). Uniform interpenetration between the nanotube network and paraffin wax with high affinity results in enhanced phase change enthalpy and thermal conductivity compared to pure paraffin wax. Our phase change composite can store energy in practical ways such as by sunlight absorption or under voltages applied by conventional lithium-ion batteries