Fabrication and characterization of novel shape-stabilized synergistic phase change materials based on PHDA/GO composites

A series of a novel shape-stabilized phase change material of poly(hexadecyl acrylate)/graphene oxide (PHDA/GO) nanocomposite was fabricated by in situ free radical polymerization . The fabricated PHDA/GO nanocomposites mainly contain a poly(hexadecyl acrylate)-grated-graphene oxide (PHDA- g -GO) solid-solid phase change material (SSPCM) and a PHDA solid-liquid phase change material (SLPCM). The PHDA- g -GO SSPCM plays two roles in the PHDA/GO nanocomposites: as the supporting material and as a phase change working substance. The effects of GO loading on the crystalline properties and the phase change properties of the PHDA/GO nanocomposites were investigated. The results indicate that the grain size of the PHDA/GO nanocomposites increases with GO loading. The nanocomposites have high thermal enthalpies, and their enthalpy efficiencies are significantly higher than those of traditional shape-stabilized PCMs (TPCMs) because of the synergistic phase change effect of PHDA- g -GO and PHDA. The number of crystalline CH 2 groups, including the terminal methyl, in the alkyl side chain of PHDA increases from 6.42 to 8.82. Moreover, the FTIR spectra and DSC curves of the PHDA/GO nanocomposites after thermal cycles are nearly the same as those of the original specimens , which indicate that the nanocomposites have excellent thermal reliability and reusability . This study not only provides a kind of novel shape-stabilized PCM with a high performance but also proposes a new way to solve the problem of enthalpy decline observed in TPCMs.