Encapsulation effectiveness and thermal energy storage performance of aluminum-graphite composite phase change materials subjected to oxide coating

Abstract

The utilization of metals as phase change materials (PCMs) in high-temperature latent heat storage technology holds promising prospects, especially when integrated with concentrated solar power (CSP) systems, as it enables higher working temperatures for CSP and enhances power generation cycle efficiency. However, the practical application of metal-based phase change processes faces challenges such as liquid leakage and high-temperature corrosion, which impede their widespread implementation. In this study, aluminum (Al) is employed as the PCM, while expanded graphite (EG) is used as the matrix material. Composite PCMs with embedded structures were synthesized using powder metallurgy techniques. Notably, an oxidation pre-treatment process was employed to create an oxide layer on the surface of Al particles, thereby improving the encapsulation performance and thermal properties of the composite PCM. By increasing the oxidation pre-treatment temperature to 1100°C, the maximum encapsulation ratio was enhanced from 50 wt% to 80 wt%, and the latent heat energy storage density increased from 101.0 J/g to 188.2 J/g. Moreover, the composite PCM subjected to oxidation pre-treatment at temperatures of 670°C and above maintained a stable structure, chemical composition, and energy storage density after 50 thermal cycles. Within the temperature range of 600–700°C, the total energy storage density of the composite PCM reached 284.5 J/g. These results indicate that the oxidation pre-treatment is a promising technology in high-temperature energy storage technology.