A series of polyurethane/graphene oxide (PU/GO) solid–solid phase change materials (SSPCMs) were synthesized by using GO as a light-absorbing filler and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a phase change matrix. The effects of PEG content on the energy storage capacity, thermal stability and photo–thermal conversion performance of PU were investigated. The results show that the form-stability of PU/GO decreases while the phase change enthalpy and photo–thermal conversion efficiency of PU/GO increases with the increasing PEG content. The introduction of a very low content of GO can maintain comparable energy storage density and greatly improve light absorption by reasonably modulating the soft segment contents. The PU/GO composite with 92 wt% PEG has a phase change enthalpy of 138.12 J/g and a high photo–thermal conversion efficiency (87.6%). The composite solid–solid PCMs have great potential for effective energy storage and solar energy utilization.Keywords:photo–thermal conversion polyurethane;different soft segment content;energy storage capacity;shape-stabilized
A series of novel trimethylol propane monoesters were synthesized to prepare aqueous polyurethane dispersions (PUD), which were used as a polymer coalescent to assist the film forming of high T g polyacrylate latexes (PA). The effects of trimethylol propane monoester categories, NCO/OH molar ratios, soft segment contents, dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA) contents, and diamine chain extenders on assistant-film-forming performance of PUD were investigated. The surface microstructures of PA/PUD blend latexes were also characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results showed that the PUD prepared from trimethylol propane monolaurare (TMPLA) with long-chain alkyl groups displayed excellent assistant-film-forming ability. The assistant-film-forming ability of PUD was increased with decreasing of NCO/OH molar ratios and hard segment proportions. The optimum preparation process of better assistant-film-forming PUD was that isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), polyether 220 (N220), trimethylol propane monoester (TMPLA) and adipic acid dihydrazide (ADH) as reactants, 1.5 of the NCO/OH molar ratios, 55/45 of the soft/hard segment mass ratio and 5% of ω (DMPA). The high T g polyacrylate latexes with PUD could form a continuous transparent film at 5 °C with 30 g L −1 of the volatile organic compounds (VOC) contents and display good film performance.