Plastic-Metal Composite Adsorbent for Lightweight Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers for adsorption applications face challenges with weight, corrosion, and high thermal mass, particularly in cyclic systems, and the production of zeolite and metal-organic framework coatings on metallic substrates is costly and requires high temperatures, making them unsuitable for lightweight and efficient solutions.
Innovation Solution
A component comprising a plastic substrate with metal particles, coated with zeolite, zeolite-like materials, or metal-organic framework compounds, where these materials are directly crystallized onto the substrate using an organic solvent, allowing for a lightweight, thermally conductive, and corrosion-resistant adsorbent or catalyst support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If metal substrates are used for heat exchangers in adsorption applications, then thermal conductivity and surface adhesion are improved, but weight and thermal mass increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining plastic (polymer) as the base substrate with metal particles dispersed within it, creating a composite material that exhibits both the low weight of plastics and the high thermal conductivity of metals. The metal particles act as thermal conductors within the polymer matrix, providing a lightweight alternative to solid metal substrates while maintaining adequate heat transfer properties for adsorption heat exchanger applications.
2Strength
If metal substrates are used for heat exchangers, then surface adhesion is improved, but corrosion resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The composite material structure combines the corrosion resistance of plastic with the surface properties of metal particles. The plastic matrix provides a corrosion-resistant barrier while the metal particles dispersed within maintain favorable surface adhesion properties for adsorbent coating, thus resolving the contradiction between adhesion and corrosion resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic matrix acts as an intermediary between the metal particles and the corrosive environment. It protects the metal particles from direct exposure to corrosive substances while still allowing the metal particles to provide their surface adhesion benefits to the adsorbent coating.
3Stability of the object's composition
If conventional coating methods are used on metallic substrates, then coating stability is improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase due to high temperatures and special conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high (conventional coating methods requiring high temperatures) to low (crystallization from aqueous solution at ambient or moderate temperatures). This parameter change enables the use of simple, inexpensive manufacturing processes while still achieving stable coatings through the crystallization mechanism, which forms strong, adherent layers on the plastic substrate containing metal particles.
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 solution provides a lightweight, efficient, and cost-effective adsorbent or catalyst support with reduced thermal mass, suitable for mobile applications and sorption processes, offering improved power density and reduced material costs while maintaining thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance.
Implementation Method 1
good, directed heat conduction through the structure
Implementation Method 2
these materials are directly crystallized onto the substrate using an organic solvent
Implementation Method 3
the provision of a large surface accessible for a coating... are usually used as adsorbents
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a component comprising a substrate containing a plastic with metal particles, which is at least partially coated with at least one compound selected from zeolite, a zeolite-like compound, and a metal-organic framework compound. Furthermore, a method for producing this component and its use as an adsorbent and in catalytic processes are described.