Expanded graphite (EG) was added to lauric acid (LA)-stearic acid (SA) phase change materials to enhance their thermal conductivities. The PCMs were prepared in varying mass fractions of LA and SA, and 10 wt. % of EG was added. The phase change temperature and phase change enthalpy were determined by DSC, while the thermal conductivities, and thermal stabilities of the PCMs were determined by the transient plane source and thermogravimetric analysis, ...
Low-temperature expandable graphite (LTEG) was blended into low-density polyethylene (LDPE) to prepare composite materials with an enhanced thermal conductivity in comparison to pure LDPE. The thermal conductivity of a composite containing 60 wt. % LTEG was found to be increased by a factor of 23 in comparison to the pure polymer. The LTEG was also found to decrease the melting temperature and degree of crystallinity of the LDPE, and the composites were also ...
In this paper, polyamide (PA, composed of at least 60% renewable materials) was used as a polymer matrix to prepare PA-hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) polymer composites with varying hBN contents. Two different PA samples were used in this study: a low viscosity grade PA (PA-30), as well as a high viscosity grade PA (PA-90). The composite polymers were tested to evaluate their thermal, physical, and mechanical properties. It was concluded that ...
In this paper, the authors discuss the preparation of microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs). The PCMs used in this study were n-hexadecane and n-octadecane, and the shell was made up of poly(urea-formaldehyde). The effect of dispersing silver nanoparticles in the shells on the thermal storage properties of these encapsulated PCMs was also investigated. The enthalpies of fusion of the samples were determined experimentally, as was the thermal conductivity. It ...
Polyactic acid (PLA)-micro hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)-graphene nanoplatelet (GNP) polymer composites were prepared, and the effects of varying filler contents on the thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer composites were investigated. It was determined that the addition of the GNPs resulted in a decrease in thermal conductivity in comparison to a PLA-hBN composite unless the GNP:hBN ratio was 1:1, where the thermal conductivity was equal to that ...