Large-scale fabrication of flexible EPDM/MXene/PW phase change composites with excellent light-to-thermal conversion efficiency via water-assisted melt blending

Thermal therapy based on phase change materials (PCMs) has broad application prospects in the field of personal thermal care. Herein, a serious of EPDM/MXene/PW (EMP) based shape-stable phase change composites (SSPCCs) with excellent flexibility was prepared in large scale via water-assisted melt blending. The MXene nanosheets were dispersed well in the EPDM matrix during the melt blending processes with the assistance of water. With the introduction of a small amount of MXene nanosheets (only 0.8 wt%), the light-to-thermal conversion efficiency of SSPCCs were improved obviously. The melting phase change enthalpy and freezing phase change enthalpy of EMP-0.8 are about 120 J/g and 115 J/g, respectively. And after 200 times thermal cycles and 25 times light-thermal cycles, the phase change enthalpy of obtained EMP-0.8 SSPCC hardly changes. All the results show that the obtained EMP based SSPCCs can be fully utilized in the field of personal thermal therapy.