Research on novel battery thermal management system coupling with shape memory PCM and molecular dynamics analysis

Abstract

• A novel SCPCM with shape memory and shape stability is proposed. • The interaction of PA/SEBS was analyzed at the molecular level. • SCPCM shows good thermal stability at a temperature range higher than PA phase transition. • Under discharge conditions of 3C, the temperature difference in the PCM module is kept within 3℃. Traditional battery thermal management using phase change materials (PCM) is restricted by PCM’s leakage, low thermal conductivity and incompatibility. In this work, a shape memory composite PCM (SCPCM) composed of styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene triblock copolymer (SEBS), paraffin (PA), expanded graphite (EG) and Fe 3 O 4 -modified graphene oxide (Fe 3 O 4 -MGO) was prepared. The thermal properties and shape stability of the composite material were studied. The compatibility between the phase change matrix and the support material was investigated. The results show that reducing the size of EG particles can effectively reduce the thermal conduction “percolation point”. The Fe 3 O 4 -MGO particles loaded on EG can effectively reduce the interfacial thermal resistance between EG and PA then further strengthen the heat transfer capability of CPCM. SCPCM shows good thermal stability in the range of phase transition temperature higher than PA (49–85 °C). The simulation results show that PA and SEBS molecules exhibit good interfacial compatibility, hydrogen bonds are formed between the molecules where there is a strong interaction. Therefore, PA/SEBS show good thermal stability in the macro system. SCPCM exhibits excellent performance in heat dissipation. Under discharge conditions of 3C, the temperature difference in the SCPCM module is kept within 3 °C.