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Abstract: Four different paraffin-based nanocomposite phase change materials (PCMs) were prepared by dispersion of 20 v. % of graphene, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), aluminum, or TiO2 nanoparticles into a paraffin matrix. It was found that the two carbon-based nanoparticles reduced the time required for melting and solidification of the PCM by a greater amount than the two other nanoparticles. The graphene-paraffin PCM was found to reduce the melt and re-solidification time by the greatest amount (~30%), and the authors attributed this to the enhanced thermal conductivity in this nanocomposite PCM, which was nearly 2800% higher than that of the pure paraffin PCM. In addition to the reduced melt and re-solidification time, the graphene-paraffin PCM was also found to increase the amount of the thermal energy that can be recovered from the PCM by 11%.

Reference: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 79 (2014) 314-323

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2014.08.009