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Electrospun Nanofibers for Energy and Environmental Applications pp 227–247Cite as

Electrospinning of Phase-Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

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Part of the book series: Nanostructure Science and Technology ((NST))

Abstract

Thermal energy storage using phase-change materials (PCMs) is one of the effective methods of conserving energy. PCMs can absorb, retain, and release large quantity of thermal energy during phase transitions over a certain temperature range. Electrospinning the combination of conventional PCMs in a polymer matrix for fabricating novel composite fibers that have form-stable and thermoregulating properties has been developed in the past decade. In this chapter, we give an overview of the chemical composition of the novel form-stable PCM composite fibers, the factors affecting and tuning their morphologies and thermal properties, and the different techniques or fabrication methods developed for producing those thermal-storage materials. In the novel form-stable PCM composite fibers, organic PCMs such as paraffin waxes, fatty acids and their blends, polyethylene glycol (PEG), etc., were widely used and encapsulated within the polymer (cellulose acetate (CA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), etc.) fibrous matrix, which served as structure-supporting component. The type of the PCMs and the ratio of PCM/polymer (or PCM content) dramatically affected the morphology and the thermal properties (such as phase transition temperatures and latent of heats) of the fibers. Different approaches (such as melt coaxial electrospinning) are introduced to fabricate the composite fibers with various morphologies and structures. The further directions of developments are discussed.

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Abbreviations

CA:

Cellulose acetate

CBT mixture:

CVL, bisphenol A and 1-dodecanol mixture

CVL:

Crystal violet lactone

DADOEs:

Diacid dioctadecyl esters

LA:

Lauric acid

MA:

Myristic acid

PA:

Palmitic acid

PA6:

Polyamide 6

PAN:

Polyacrylonitrile

PCMs:

Phase-change materials

PEG:

Polyethylene glycol

PET:

Polyethylene terephthalate

PMMA:

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

PS:

Polystyrene

PU:

Polyurethane

PVDF:

Polyvinylidene fluoride

PVP:

Polyvinylpyrrolidone

SA:

Stearic acid

SS:

Stearyl stearate

T c :

Crystallizing temperature

T m :

Melting temperature

TSMs:

Thermal-storage materials

ΔH c :

Latent heat of crystallization or enthalpy of crystallization

ΔH f :

Latent heat of fusion or enthalpy of melting

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan Road, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Linge Wang

  2. School of Chemistry and Pharmacy Engineering, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China

    Changzhong Chen

  3. Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 29# Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, China

    Yong Huang

Authors
  1. Linge Wang
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  2. Changzhong Chen
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  3. Yong Huang
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Linge Wang or Yong Huang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, China

    Bin Ding

  2. State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, China

    Jianyong Yu

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Wang, L., Chen, C., Huang, Y. (2014). Electrospinning of Phase-Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage. In: Ding, B., Yu, J. (eds) Electrospun Nanofibers for Energy and Environmental Applications. Nanostructure Science and Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-54160-5_9

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