• Nano-Micro Letters
  • Vol. 16, Issue 1, 196 (2024)
Yuhui Chen1, Yang Meng1,*, Jiangyu Zhang1, Yuhui Xie1..., Hua Guo3, Mukun He3, Xuetao Shi3, Yi Mei1, Xinxin Sheng2,** and Delong Xie1,***|Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Saving in Phosphorus Chemical Engineering and New Phosphorus Materials, The International Joint Laboratory for Sustainable Polymers of Yunnan Province, The Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Phosphorus Chemical Engineering of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, People’s Republic of China
  • 2Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Functional Soft Condensed Matter, School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, People’s Republic of China
  • 3Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Science and Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710072, People’s Republic of China
  • show less
    DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01414-4 Cite this Article
    Yuhui Chen, Yang Meng, Jiangyu Zhang, Yuhui Xie, Hua Guo, Mukun He, Xuetao Shi, Yi Mei, Xinxin Sheng, Delong Xie. Leakage Proof, Flame-Retardant, and Electromagnetic Shield Wood Morphology Genetic Composite Phase Change Materials for Solar Thermal Energy Harvesting[J]. Nano-Micro Letters, 2024, 16(1): 196 Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Phase change materials (PCMs) offer a promising solution to address the challenges posed by intermittency and fluctuations in solar thermal utilization. However, for organic solid–liquid PCMs, issues such as leakage, low thermal conductivity, lack of efficient solar-thermal media, and flammability have constrained their broad applications. Herein, we present an innovative class of versatile composite phase change materials (CPCMs) developed through a facile and environmentally friendly synthesis approach, leveraging the inherent anisotropy and unidirectional porosity of wood aerogel (nanowood) to support polyethylene glycol (PEG). The wood modification process involves the incorporation of phytic acid (PA) and MXene hybrid structure through an evaporation-induced assembly method, which could impart non-leaking PEG filling while concurrently facilitating thermal conduction, light absorption, and flame-retardant. Consequently, the as-prepared wood-based CPCMs showcase enhanced thermal conductivity (0.82 W m-1 K-1, about 4.6 times than PEG) as well as high latent heat of 135.5 kJ kg-1 (91.5% encapsulation) with thermal durability and stability throughout at least 200 heating and cooling cycles, featuring dramatic solar-thermal conversion efficiency up to 98.58%. In addition, with the synergistic effect of phytic acid and MXene, the flame-retardant performance of the CPCMs has been significantly enhanced, showing a self-extinguishing behavior. Moreover, the excellent electromagnetic shielding of 44.45 dB was endowed to the CPCMs, relieving contemporary health hazards associated with electromagnetic waves. Overall, we capitalize on the exquisite wood cell structure with unidirectional transport inherent in the development of multifunctional CPCMs, showcasing the operational principle through a proof-of-concept prototype system.
    Yuhui Chen, Yang Meng, Jiangyu Zhang, Yuhui Xie, Hua Guo, Mukun He, Xuetao Shi, Yi Mei, Xinxin Sheng, Delong Xie. Leakage Proof, Flame-Retardant, and Electromagnetic Shield Wood Morphology Genetic Composite Phase Change Materials for Solar Thermal Energy Harvesting[J]. Nano-Micro Letters, 2024, 16(1): 196
    Download Citation