A graphene-CuNWs@PAMPS mixed aerogel for composite phase change materials with high thermal conductivity and excellent solar-thermal to electrical conversion

Phase change materials could store and release heat energy through phase change. However, the shortcomings of low thermal conductivity in the photothermal conversion process and easy leakage in the solid-liquid conversion seriously hinder the application of heat energy utilization. Graphene had high thermal conductivity, and it was an ideal material for improving the solar absorption, solar energy conversion and thermal conductivity of phase change materials. In this paper, a graphene aerogel composed of copper nanowires (CuNWs)/2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) was designed. The thermal conductivity and shape stability of phase change materials for solar-thermal-electrical conversion applications were enhanced by composite CuNWs. Furthermore, PAMPS was coated on the surface of copper nanowires to avoid the oxidation of copper nanowires, and the sulfonic acid group of PAMPS was used to induce CuNWs to disperse uniformLy on the graphene sheets, which further constructed a good conductive network. After vacuum impregnation of PW, the best thermal conductivity phase change composite (PW-CuNWs@PAMPS-GA(1:1)) was obtained. The PCC loaded with CuNWs with the same graphene content achieved a thermal conductivity of 1.46 W/(m·K) and a high latent heat of 206.8 J/g. The latent heat retention rate was as high as 99.57 %. The photothermal conversion efficiency of PW-CuNWs@PAMPS-GA(1:1) was remarkable at 96.4 %. Due to its excellent solar-thermal-electrical conversion efficiency, the output voltage and output current were 800.8 mV and 85.8 mA, respectively, at a solar analog intensity of 5 kW/m2. Even after the sunlight was stopped, the voltage output could be maintained for a while by releasing the heat energy stored in the phase change composite.