From Biomass to High Performance Solar-Thermal and Electric-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage Materials

摘要

Conversion of solar and electric power into thermal energy using phase change materials (PCMs) is particularly attractive, since they provide a high energy storage density and have the capacity to store energy as latent heat of fusion at a constant temperature. Although PCMs are excellent materials for thermal energy storage, direct solar-to-thermal or electric-to-thermal energy conversion with PCMs has been hindered by several challenges: (a) the light-colored PCMs have low sunlight absorption, and consequently low solar harvest efficiency; (b) due to the inherently extremely low electrical conductivity of PCMs, it is impossible to covert electrical energy to thermal energy directly with PCMs; (c) molten PCMs need to be contained to prevent leakage. Direct infiltration of organic PCMs into a carbon based aerogels, such as CNT and graphene aerogel composed of interconnected three-dimensional (3D) networks, has been demonstrated to be viable for achieving form-stable PCMs with simultaneous solar-to-thermal and electric-to-thermal energy conversion properties. However, the harmful and expensive precursors or complex equipment involved in CNT and graphene aerogel syntheses dramatically hamper their large-scale production for industry applications. Thus facile, economical, and environmentally friendly strategies to massively produce carbon-based aerogels are being sought.