1. Bioinspired Intelligent Solar‐Responsive Thermally Conductive Pyramidal Phase Change Composites with Radially Oriented Layered Structures toward Efficient Solar–Thermal–Electric Energy Conversion.
- Author
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Zhao, Hao‐Yu, Shu, Chao, Wang, Xin, Min, Peng, Li, Changjun, Gao, Fu‐Lin, Li, Xiaofeng, and Yu, Zhong‐Zhen
- Subjects
HEAT storage ,ENERGY conversion ,PHASE change materials ,THERMAL conductivity ,LATENT heat ,LIGHT intensity ,STRUCTURAL stability - Abstract
To remedy the drawbacks of weak solar‐thermal conversion capability, low thermal conductivity, and poor structural stability of phase change materials, pyramidal graphitized chitosan/graphene aerogels (G‐CGAs) with numerous radially oriented layers are constructed, in which the long‐range radial alignment of graphene sheets is achieved by a novel directional‐freezing strategy. A G‐CGA/polyethylene glycol phase change composite exhibits a thermal conductivity of 2.90 W m−1 K−1 with a latent heat of 178.8 J g−1, and achieves a superior solar‐thermal energy conversion and storage efficiency of 90.4% and an attractive maximum temperature of 99.7 °C under a light intensity of 200 mW cm−2. Inspired by waterlilies, solar‐responsive phase change composites (SPCCs) are designed for the first time by assembling the G‐CGA/polyethylene glycol phase change composites with solar‐driven bilayer films, which bloom by day and close by night. The heat preservation effect of the solar‐driven films leads to a higher temperature of SPCC for a longer period at night. The SPCC‐based solar–thermal–electric generator achieves output voltages of 499.2 and 1034.9 mV under light intensities of 200 and 500 mW cm−2, respectively. Even after stopping the solar irradiation, the voltage output still occurs because of the latent heat release and the heat preservation of the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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