Issue 7, 2022 - Obtaining a new method for the preparation of phase change composites

A new method was obtained for the preparation of phase change composites

Recently, Professor Cai Yibing's research group of the School of Textile Science and Engineering of Jiangnan University obtained inspiration from the structure of loofah sponge and prepared a high-performance phase change composite material
by a simple method.

Renewable biomass loofah sponge fiber has excellent properties such as unique microtubules, a large number of micron channels and extremely high porosity, and has great potential
for the development of high-performance phase change composites.

In this study, the researchers prepared a novel phase change composite material (PCLS)
supported by loofah sponge fiber microtubules containing polyethylene glycol (PEG).
The material has a stable shape, and the loofah sponge fiber with a porous tubular structure provides superior encapsulation and mechanical support
for PEG.
The encapsulation ability of loofah sponge fiber to PEG is not affected by vacuum impregnation time, but increases with the increase of PEG concentration, tending to a maximum of 56.
5%.

The experimental results show that the obtained PCLS has good energy storage/recovery capacity and good temperature regulation ability, and has good thermal cycle reliability and can be used
for a long time.

The researchers said that this innovative PCLS has a wide range
of applications in the fields of solar energy storage, thermal regulation, heat insulation, thermal camouflage and stealth.