Composite aerogel, recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material with photothermal conversion function, and preparation methods therefor and use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing organic phase-change materials face issues with leakage and lack of recyclability, which poses environmental pollution risks and resource waste, while direct use in energy storage systems is inefficient due to mismatched energy supply and demand.
Innovation Solution
A composite aerogel made of maleimide-based copolymers and reduced graphene oxide, which can encapsulate phase-change materials, providing photothermal conversion function and enabling recyclability through aqueous ammonia treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If organic phase-change materials are used directly for energy storage, then large storage capacity and reversible thermal energy release are achieved, but leakage risk and lack of recyclability occur
Solution Approach 1:
The phase-change material is encapsulated within the porous structure of the aerogel composite, creating a nested configuration where the PCM is contained within the three-dimensional network of the aerogel. This nesting approach prevents leakage while maintaining the high storage capacity of the PCM, as the aerogel acts as a containment structure that holds the phase-change material within its porous framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining the phase-change material with the aerogel matrix. This composite structure integrates the high storage capacity of the PCM with the structural integrity and containment properties of the aerogel, achieving both effective energy storage and leakage prevention simultaneously. The composite nature allows the materials to complement each other's strengths while mitigating their individual weaknesses.
2Reliability
If encapsulation is applied to prevent leakage, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and processing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The aerogel provides a porous three-dimensional network structure that naturally encapsulates the phase-change material within its interconnected pores. This porous encapsulation approach is simpler than traditional encapsulation methods because it relies on the inherent structural properties of the aerogel rather than requiring additional encapsulation layers or complex containment mechanisms. The porous structure allows the PCM to be held within the network without requiring sealed enclosures.
3Reliability
If traditional encapsulation methods are used, then leakage is prevented, but recyclability and environmental friendliness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The aerogel composite structure enables easy recovery and recycling of the phase-change material. The aerogel can be disassembled or degraded to release and recover the encapsulated PCM, allowing for repeated reuse cycles. This recovering approach makes the system environmentally friendly and economically viable, as the valuable phase-change material can be retrieved and reused multiple times rather than being discarded after single use.
4Use of energy by moving object
If solar energy is used directly, then renewable energy utilization is achieved, but mismatch between energy supply and demand reduces efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The phase-change material absorbs and stores solar energy during periods when energy supply exceeds demand (such as daytime or sunny periods), preparing the energy for later use. This preliminary energy storage action allows the system to decouple energy generation from energy consumption, enabling solar energy to be utilized even when the sun is not shining, thereby reducing the mismatch between supply and demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The phase-change material utilizes phase transition phenomena (such as melting and freezing) to store and release thermal energy from solar heating. During the phase transition, the material absorbs large amounts of latent heat, effectively storing solar energy. When the phase transition reverses, the stored energy is released, providing thermal energy during periods of high demand or low solar input, thus improving overall solar energy utilization efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composite aerogel effectively prevents leakage and allows for environmentally friendly recycling, enhancing solar energy storage efficiency and stability with photothermal conversion performance.
Implementation Method 1
recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material with photothermal conversion function
Implementation Method 2
Latent heat-storage systems based on organic phase-change materials have large storage capacities, near constant phase-change temperatures and reversible storage and release of thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
the composite aerogel can be used as a carrier to load a phase-change material so as to obtain a recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material
Implementation Method 4
it can also be recycled under the action of aqueous ammonia to obtain the graphene, the phase-change material and the polymer respectively
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4c
AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of phase-change materials, and specifically relates to a composite aerogel, a recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material with a photothermal conversion function, and preparation methods therefor and the use thereof. The composite aerogel comprises a polymer and graphene, wherein the polymer contains a maleic-anhydride-group-containing structural unit and a maleimide-group-containing structural unit. The composite aerogel can be used as a carrier to load a phase-change material, so as to obtain a recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material, which has a photothermal conversion function and can also be recycled by using a simple and environmentally friendly method. The recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material comprises a composite aerogel and a phase-change material loaded in the composite aerogel. The recyclable heat-storage phase-change composite material with a photothermal conversion function of the present invention not only has a photothermal conversion function, but is also low in terms of leakage of the phase-change material and can also be recycled, such that the environmentally friendly utilization and effective storage of solar energy are truly realized, and the material has a high application value in the aspect of utilizing clean energy in an environmentally friendly manner.