Dual-Encapsulated Highly Conductive and Liquid-Free Phase Change Composites Enabled by Polyurethane/Graphite Nanoplatelets Hybrid Networks for Efficient Energy Storage and Thermal Management

Phase change materials (PCMs) are regarded as promising candidates for realizing zero-energy thermal management of electronic devices owing to their high thermal storage capacity and stable working temperature. However, PCM-based thermal management always suffers from the long-standing challenges of low thermal conductivity and liquid leakage of PCMs. Herein, a dual-encapsulation strategy to fabricate highly conductive and liquid-free phase change composites (PCCs) for thermal management by constructing a polyurethane/graphite nanoplatelets hybrid networks is reported. The PCM of polyethylene glycol (PEG) is first infiltrated into the cross-linked network of polyurethane (PU) to synthesize hybridized semi-interpenetrated composites (PEG@PU), and then incorporated with reticulated graphite nanoplatelets (RGNPs) via pressure-induced assembly to fabricate highly conductive PCCs (PEG@PU-RGNPs). The hybrid networks enable the PCCs to show excellent mechanical strength, liquid-free phase change, and stable thermal property. Notably, the dual-encapsulated PCCs exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivities up to 27.0 W m(-1) K-1 and 51.0 S cm(-1), superior to the state-of-the-art PEG-based PCCs. Furthermore, the PCC-based energy device is demonstrated for efficient battery thermal management toward versatile demands of active preheating at a cold environment and passive cooling at a hot ambient. Overall, this work provides a promising route for fabricating highly conductive and liquid-free PCCs toward thermal management.

Automated summary

A dual-encapsulation strategy was used to fabricate highly conductive and liquid-free phase change composites by constructing polyurethane/graphite nanoplatelets hybrid networks. The new material exhibited excellent mechanical strength, liquid-free phase change, and stable thermal properties.