Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release
Organic phase-change materials (PCMs) offer great promise in addressing challenges in thermal energy storage and heat management, but their applications are greatly limited by low energy density and a rigid phase transition temperature. Herein, by introducing carbon dots (CDs) with abundant oxygen-r...
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| author | Jingya Liang Ning Li Jie Wu Qing Chang Jinlong Yang Shengliang Hu |
| author_facet | Jingya Liang Ning Li Jie Wu Qing Chang Jinlong Yang Shengliang Hu |
| author_sort | Jingya Liang |
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| description | Organic phase-change materials (PCMs) offer great promise in addressing challenges in thermal energy storage and heat management, but their applications are greatly limited by low energy density and a rigid phase transition temperature. Herein, by introducing carbon dots (CDs) with abundant oxygen-related groups, we develop a novel kind of erythritol (ET)-based composite PCMs (CD-ETs) featuring an enhanced latent heat storage capacity and a reduced degree of supercooling compared to pure ETs. The optimally formulated CD-ETs increase the latent heat storage capacity from 377.3 to 410.2 J·g<sup>−1</sup> and the heat release capacity from 209.0 to 240.2 J·g<sup>−1</sup> compared to the pristine ETs. Moreover, the subcooled degree of CD-ETs is more than 30 °C lower than that of pristine ETs. By successively encapsulating CD-ETs and CD-containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a low melting point in a reduced graphene oxide-modified melamine sponge, the resultant shape-stabilized system not only prevents leakage of molten PCMs but also allows for a wide response temperature window and promotes the heat transfer ability of melted PEG in close contact with solid CD-ETs. Stepped melting and crystallization guarantee phase changes in high-melting-point ETs via solar heating, Joule heating or a combination thereof. Specifically, the melting enthalpy of this system is as high as 306.5 J·g<sup>−1</sup>, and its cold crystallization enthalpy reaches 196.5 J·g<sup>−1</sup>, surpassing numerous organic PCMs. This work provides a facile and efficient strategy for the design of ideal thermal energy storage materials to meet the needs of application scenarios in a cost-effective manner. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0b7be08fcb774f6890211a1c40d2bd8c |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj-art-0b7be08fcb774f6890211a1c40d2bd8c2025-08-20T01:56:27ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-05-011810259710.3390/en18102597Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and ReleaseJingya Liang0Ning Li1Jie Wu2Qing Chang3Jinlong Yang4Shengliang Hu5Research Group of New Energy Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-Mining, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, ChinaResearch Group of New Energy Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-Mining, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, ChinaSchool of Applied Science, Taiyuan University of Science and Technology, Taiyuan 030024, ChinaResearch Group of New Energy Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-Mining, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, ChinaResearch Group of New Energy Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-Mining, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, ChinaResearch Group of New Energy Materials and Devices, State Key Laboratory of Coal and CBM Co-Mining, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, ChinaOrganic phase-change materials (PCMs) offer great promise in addressing challenges in thermal energy storage and heat management, but their applications are greatly limited by low energy density and a rigid phase transition temperature. Herein, by introducing carbon dots (CDs) with abundant oxygen-related groups, we develop a novel kind of erythritol (ET)-based composite PCMs (CD-ETs) featuring an enhanced latent heat storage capacity and a reduced degree of supercooling compared to pure ETs. The optimally formulated CD-ETs increase the latent heat storage capacity from 377.3 to 410.2 J·g<sup>−1</sup> and the heat release capacity from 209.0 to 240.2 J·g<sup>−1</sup> compared to the pristine ETs. Moreover, the subcooled degree of CD-ETs is more than 30 °C lower than that of pristine ETs. By successively encapsulating CD-ETs and CD-containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a low melting point in a reduced graphene oxide-modified melamine sponge, the resultant shape-stabilized system not only prevents leakage of molten PCMs but also allows for a wide response temperature window and promotes the heat transfer ability of melted PEG in close contact with solid CD-ETs. Stepped melting and crystallization guarantee phase changes in high-melting-point ETs via solar heating, Joule heating or a combination thereof. Specifically, the melting enthalpy of this system is as high as 306.5 J·g<sup>−1</sup>, and its cold crystallization enthalpy reaches 196.5 J·g<sup>−1</sup>, surpassing numerous organic PCMs. This work provides a facile and efficient strategy for the design of ideal thermal energy storage materials to meet the needs of application scenarios in a cost-effective manner.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/10/2597phase-change materialscarbon dotserythritoldegree of supercoolingsolar heat storage |
| spellingShingle | Jingya Liang Ning Li Jie Wu Qing Chang Jinlong Yang Shengliang Hu Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release Energies phase-change materials carbon dots erythritol degree of supercooling solar heat storage |
| title | Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release |
| title_full | Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release |
| title_short | Carbon Dot-Modulated Phase-Change Composites for Wide Temperature Range and High-Density Heat Storage and Release |
| title_sort | carbon dot modulated phase change composites for wide temperature range and high density heat storage and release |
| topic | phase-change materials carbon dots erythritol degree of supercooling solar heat storage |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/10/2597 |
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