Form stable phase change material supported by sensible and thermal controllable thermistor

Abstract

A negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor with thermal sensing and control capabilities was manufactured by adopting form stable phase change materials (PCMs). The incorporation of PCMs expanded their potential uses by providing a stable and continuous circuit. The PCMs underwent a nearly isothermal phase transition process, which lasted for a long time without significant temperature fluctuations. To hold the pure PCM and prevent leakage during melting and cooling processes, a graphene aerogel was employed as a supporting material. Compared with microsphere PCM composite, the graphene aerogel had a high porosity. The PCM composite retained over 98 wt% of the working material for thermal energy. The NTC thermistor probe was inserted into the PCM composite to construct a thermal sensible device. The PCM surrounded NTC thermistor exhibited an excellent thermal stability and could maintain the output current in the circuit. These findings suggest that the form stable PCM composite can be utilized in thermal controllable systems to prevent overcurrent and safeguard electronic devices.