Optically-controlled long-term storage and release of thermal energy in phase-change materials.

ABSTRACT: Thermal energy storage offers enormous potential for a wide range of energy technologies. Phase-change materials offer state-of-the-art thermal storage due to high latent heat. However, spontaneous heat loss from thermally charged phase-change materials to cooler surroundings occurs due to the absence of a significant energy barrier for the liquid-solid transition. This prevents control over the thermal storage, and developing effective methods to address this problem has remained an elusive goal. Herein, we report a combination of photo-switching dopants and organic phase-change materials as a way to introduce an activation energy barrier for phase-change materials solidification and to conserve thermal energy in the materials, allowing them to be triggered optically to release their stor

SUBMITTER: Han GGD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5684416 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature