Preparation and Phase Change Performance of Graphene Oxide and Silica Composite Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O Phase Change Materials (PCMs) as Thermal Energy Storage Materials

oleh: Wen Tao, Xiangfa Kong, Anyang Bao, Chuangang Fan, Yi Zhang

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2020-11-01

Deskripsi

In this study, a novel nucleating agent composed of graphene oxide (GO) and silicon dioxide (SiO<sub>2</sub>) (GO–SiO<sub>2</sub>) is developed. GO is used as a skeleton material through which SiO<sub>2</sub> nanomaterials are absorbed and subsequently incorporated into Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O phase change materials (PCMs). Furthermore, this study examines the phase change performance of the composite Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O materials. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra confirmed the physical combination of GO with a SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results showed that the GO–SiO<sub>2</sub> composite exhibited a layered structure and excellent dispersibility. The GO–SiO<sub>2</sub> composite Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O PCMs displayed a low level of supercooling, i.e., about 1.2 °C with the addition of GO–SiO<sub>2</sub> at 2.45 wt%. This was because the synergistic relation of the GO and the high dispersion SiO<sub>2</sub>, imparted more nucleation sites for Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O. Additionally, the prepared PCMs achieved high phase change latent heat and thermal conductivity, even under these conditions. The results show that the GO–SiO<sub>2</sub> in the Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>·10H<sub>2</sub>O exhibited advantageous application prospects for the improvement of the thermal performance of hydrate salts.