Resin transfer molding process and performance of paraffin based energy storage composites framed on polyurethane foam

Abstract

With the continuous exploration and development in the field of energy storage, phase Change Material (PCM) are good energy storage materials. Paraffin wax is a good low-temperature phase change material because of its high enthalpy of phase change, stable chemical properties, no subcooling and low cost. However, it has disadvantages such as easy leakage of phase change and low thermal conductivity in practical applications. In this paper, octadecane with a melting point of 22 °C and 52# paraffin wax with a melting point of 54 °C were used as raw materials, and paraffin wax with a melting point of 35 °C was prepared by blending with a mass ratio of 1: 1.5 (52# paraffin wax: octadecane), and then the blended paraffin wax was compounded with polyurethane frame structure by resin transfer molding (RTM) method, and finally aluminum foil was used to encapsulate the composite phase change material and enhance its thermal conductivity. The properties of the composite phase change material were investigated by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter), FTIR (Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy), TG (glass transition temperature), and tensile tests. The results show that the tensile strength decreases with the increase of RTM infusion pressure, and the minimum is 6.5 kPa, at which time the elongation at break is 55.2%, and the thermal conductivity of the composite material after aluminum foil encapsulation is 1.83 W/(m·K), and the thermal conductivity is found to be stable after residual analysis. This paper provides a technical reference for the rapid batch preparation of PCM composite system by RTM molding method with polymer material as the frame structure.

Keywords

• Paraffin wax
• Phase change energy storage materials
• Polyurethane foam
• Resin transfer molding