Enhancement of thermal properties of phase change composites by copper film-coated carbon fiber felt

Organic phase change materials (PCMs), particularly paraffin (PA), are renowned for their substantial latent heat storage capacities. Despite this advantage, their practical application is often hampered by inherent drawbacks such as inadequate leakage resistance, low thermal conductivity, and inefficient photothermal conversion. This study introduces a novel fabrication technique for phase change composites (PCCs) that involves electroplating a nanostructured Cu film onto fiber-structured carbon felts, thereby creating a thermally conductive scaffold for the PCMs. The thermal conductivity of the resulting CuF@PA composite was significantly improved to 1.3 Wm^-1 K^-1, which is 6.5 times higher than that of pure PA. Furthermore, the incorporation of a Cu nanostructure within the composite significantly bolsters its leakage resistance and photothermal conversion efficiency. The CuF@PA composite also boasts a high phase transition enthalpy of 167.1 Jg^-1, showcasing its superior energy storage capability. These findings suggest that the synergistic combination of carbon felt and nano Cu film offers a promising solution to overcome the limitations of traditional PCMs. The developed PCC demonstrates significant promise for diverse applications including solar thermal energy storage and advanced thermal management.