Polynorbornene-based bottlebrush polymers confining phase change materials for ultra-stable latent heat storage derived from solar irradiation

Abstract

Converting abundant solar energy into latent heat stored by organic phase change materials (PCMs) can effectively overcome the intermittency and instability of solar irradiation and improve energy utilization efficiency. However, facile fabrication of form-stable PCMs (FSPCMs) to realize simultaneously energetic solar-thermal conversion and storage in broad-scale practical applications remain a formidable challenge. Here we offer an appealing solar-thermal energy conversion and storage system that utilizes paraffin (PW) as latent heat storage units, sulfur treated nickel foams (S–Ni foams) as solar-thermal conversion materials and polynorbornene-based bottlebrush polymers (PNb22C) as gelators, which can self-assemble into 3D supporting scaffolds, to confine the paraffin in small nanometer-scale spacing. Novel FSPCMs demonstrate no paraffin leakage, high latent heat storage capacity (172.1 J/g) and ultra-stable thermal cycling durability during the 500 times thermal cycling tests. In addition, owning to powerful solar-thermal conversion of S–Ni foams, the developed FSPCMs can energetically convert solar energy into latent heat storing by paraffin with reversible solar-thermal energy storage and release during the 200 cycling tests, providing universal potential opportunities for practical applications in solar energy utilization system, etc.