Bubble-injection and seeding enabled crystallization of erythritol/xylitol eutectic phase change material

Abstract

The utilization of Erythritol/xylitol eutectic material for low-temperature thermal energy storage and thermal management holds great promise. However, its inability to undergo spontaneous nucleation and crystallization poses a significant obstacle. This research paper introduces a novel nucleation technique that combines gas injection agitation and seeding to address this issue. The study aims to investigate the impact of gas injection tube diameter, thermal environment, and gas injection duration on the nucleation and crystallization characteristics of the material. Experimental analysis reveals that, under optimal conditions, the solidification enthalpy reaches 203.1 J/g, equivalent to 85% of the melting enthalpy. Additionally, the material exhibits excellent thermal cycle stability, with no observed phase separation or deterioration after 100 heating and cooling cycles. Furthermore, the influence of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) nanoparticle additives on nucleation is explored. Different MWCNT additive mass fractions are compared. The obtained results underscore the significance of understanding the effects of gas injection parameters and nanoparticle additives on nucleation and crystallization processes. The enhanced solidification enthalpy, remarkable thermal cycle stability, and insights into MWCNT effects pave the way for broader applications of this promising phase change material in thermal energy storage and thermal management.

Keywords

• Phase change material
• Polyol
• Crystallization
• Supercooling
• Seeding
• Bubble injection