Recent advances in enhanced thermal property in phase change materials using carbon nanotubes: A review

Recent advances in enhanced thermal property in phase change materials using carbon nanotubes: A review

Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113228

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113228

Pin Jin Ong, Hui Yi Shuko Lee, Suxi Wang, Warintorn Thitsartarn, Xikui Zhang, Junhua Kong, Dan Kai, Beng Hoon Tan, Pei Wang, Zhengyao Qu, Jianwei Xu, Xian Jun Loh, Qiang Zhu

21 October 2024

Ong, P. J., Shuko Lee, H. Y., Wang, S., Thitsartarn, W., Zhang, X., Kong, J., Kai, D., Tan, B. H., Wang, P., Qu, Z., Xu, J., Loh, X. J., Zhu, Q. (2025). Recent advances in enhanced thermal property in phase change materials using carbon nanotubes: A review. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 279, 113228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2024.113228

As the demand for renewable and sustainable energy sources rises, considerable efforts have been dedicated to the development of energy storage materials. Phase change materials (PCMs) have garnered significant attention for their potential applications in thermal energy storage (TES) and management systems. However, the low thermal conductivity and potential leakage during phase transition hinder the widespread application of these materials. The integration of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into PCMs has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance their thermal properties due to their exceptional thermal conductivity and structural characteristics. Herein, we provide an overview of recent advances in the utilization of different types of CNTs to improve the thermal performance of PCMs. We discuss various methods of incorporating CNTs into PCMs, including physical mixing, chemical functionalization, and hybrid nanostructures. Furthermore, we examine the effects of CNT addition on the thermal conductivity, latent heat storage capacity, light-to-thermal conversion efficiency, and thermal stability of PCMs. In addition, we discuss the current challenges and prospects for the practical implementation of CNT-enhanced PCMs in diverse TES applications.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Singapore - Low-Carbon Energy Research
Grant Reference no. : U2305D4001

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/21239

0927-0248

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering