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Foamy phase change materials based on linear low-density polyethylene and paraffin wax blends

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Abstract

Foamy phase-change materials (FPCMs) based on linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) blended with 30 wt.% of paraffin wax (W) were successfully prepared for the first time. The advantage of these materials is their double functionality. First, they serve as standard thermal insulators, and second, the paraffin wax acts as a phase change component that absorbs thermal energy (the latent heat) during melting if the temperature increases above its melting point, which ensures better heat protection of buildings, for instance, against overheating. The density of the porous fabricated FPCM was 0.2898 g/cm3 with pore content 69 vol.% and gel portion achieved 27.5 wt.%. The thermal conductivity of the LLDPE/W foam was 0.09 W/m.K, whereas the thermal conductivity of the neat LLDPE foam prepared under the same conditions was 0.06 W/m.K, which caused a higher porosity of approximately 92 vol.%. The FPCM absorbed or released approximately 22–23 J/g during melting or cooling, respectively, and the material was stable under thermal and mechanical cycling.

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Acknowledgements

This work was made possible by the NPRP grant No: 4 - 465 - 2 - 173 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of the Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

    Anton Popelka, Patrik Sobolčiak & Mariam A. Al-Maadeed

  2. Centre of Polymer Systems, University Institute, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Trida T. Bati 5678, 760 01, Zlin, Czech Republic

    Miroslav Mrlík

  3. Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 41, Bratislava 45, Slovakia

    Zuzana Nogellova & Ivan Chodák

  4. Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO), Doha, 756, Qatar

    Mabrouk Ouederni

  5. QAPCO Polymer Chair, Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

    Igor Krupa

Authors
  1. Anton Popelka
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  2. Patrik Sobolčiak
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  3. Miroslav Mrlík
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  4. Zuzana Nogellova
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  7. Mariam A. Al-Maadeed
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  8. Igor Krupa
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Correspondence to Igor Krupa.

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Popelka, A., Sobolčiak, P., Mrlík, M. et al. Foamy phase change materials based on linear low-density polyethylene and paraffin wax blends. emergent mater. 1, 47–54 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42247-018-0003-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42247-018-0003-3

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