Graphitic carbon/paraffin phase change materials for thermal energy storage

This report presents an experimental investigation using laser-induced porous hierarchical graphitic carbons as support for paraffin as a thermal energy storage compsite. Varying of laser heating parameters (8 – 12W) and heating environment (air/nitrogen) results in changing of porosity and quality of carbon thereby affecting thermal conductivity. Due to the multiscale porous structure of graphitic carbon, paraffin was backfilled into the porous structure. From DSC and TGA measurements, the graphitic carbon/paraffin composites have a high energy storage efficiency of more than 90% paraffin loading and found to have improved thermal performance compared with either pure paraffin or graphitic carbon. Our results show good thermal stability over 5 thermal cycles and latent heat variation of less than 10% when comparing the first and fifth cycle for all samples. This suggests the graphitic carbon is a good thermal matrix for shape-stabilization of organic phase change materials (OPCMs). The resultant PCMs presents potential in use in renewable energy technologies, where it can be applied to tiding climate change and attaining sustainable development.Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Engineering