Researchers propose one-step strategy to synthesize graphene-based composite phase change materials

Graphene-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) exhibit great potential in the field of solar-thermal energy conversion and storage.

Current synthesis methods of the graphene-based composite PCMs usually involve multi-step processes that are generally complicated, time- and energy-consuming, hindering its further practical application.

Recently, Prof. Shi Quan's group from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) proposed a facile and straightforward one-step strategy of constructing graphene-based shape-stable PCMs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in situ filled into a graphene oxide (GO) network structure hydrogel.

This study was published in the Chemical Engineering Journal on Sept. 9.

Compared with the currently reported synthetic routes, the complexity, processing time and cost are reduced in this newly proposed strategy.

The as-prepared composite PCMs showed a high PEG loading capacity up to 95 wt.%, and could maintain a relatively constant phase change enthalpy of 162.8 J/g even after 1000 phase transition cycles.

The composites also exhibited excellent solar-thermal energy conversion ability, which could quickly convert solar energy into thermal energy and store it in the PCMs with a conversion efficiency of up to 93.7%.