Okra functional biomimetic composite phase change materials integrated with high thermal conductivity, remarkable latent heat, and multicycle stability for high temperature thermal energy storage

Abstract

High-temperature phase change materials (h-PCMs) offer viable solutions for efficient thermal energy storage systems within large-scale industrial facilities. However, h-PCMs still face enormous challenges owing to low thermal conductivity and restricted thermal storage efficiency. Herein, we report okra functional biomimetic high-temperature composite phase change materials (h-CPCMs) that exhibit excellent comprehensive thermal storage properties and operational reliability, inspired by the okra seed storage process. The okra biomimetic SiC ceramic skeleton, featuring unique macropores and crosslinked axially fibrous thermal transfer pathways, significantly boosts the thermal storage efficiency of loaded molten-salt-based h-PCMs. The resulting h-CPCMs exhibit excellent thermal conductivity with a maximum value of 31 W/(m·K) accompanied by a notable latent heat of 207 J/g. Of note, the h-CPCMs with high porosity maintain superior thermal storage properties after 500 cycles. The overall thermal storage performance under 400–700 °C outperformed that of h-CPCMs reported in previous works. Furthermore, utilizing a self-designed thermal storage performance testing device, the thermal storage power density of h-CPCMs performs a 101 % enhancement compared to pure h-PCMs, suggesting a significant improvement in thermal storage efficiency. This work provides valuable insights and advancements for the further design of highly performance h-CPCMs.