Poly(ethylene glycol)-Based Reprocessed Solid–Solid Phase Change Materials with Dynamic Semi-interpenetrating Network for Efficient Energy Storage and Thermal Management
Aoshuang Yang, Rong Huang, Quan‐Ping Zhang, Zhuoni Jiang, Yongsheng Li, Fangfang He, Peng Wang, Guansong He, Wenbin Yang
Abstract
Reprocessed solid–solid phase change materials (RSSPCMs) possess significant potential for energy conservation and sustainable energy utilization, making them a popular choice for battery thermal management (BTM). Currently, the design of RSSPCMs still faces challenges in terms of their enthalpy efficiency and mechanical properties. In this study, a typical semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) has been constructed by incorporating a dynamic disulfide cross-linking network in PEG. It displays 99.97% enthalpic efficiency and 90.7% mechanical damage healing efficiency. Their latent heat (75.86–110.64 J/g) and phase change temperature (49.9–57.4 °C) can be easily tailored by adjusting the PEG. The semi-IPN structure provides RSSPCMs with high thermal reliability, thermal stability, shape stability, and excellent mechanical properties. Furthermore, 7.5–9.7 MPa of tension mechanical stress and 430–640% of strain demonstrate that the RSSPCMs possess excellent self-healing ability after exposure to thermal/infrared stimulus without the changes of chemical structure or phase change behavior. This work delivers a new route to develop thermal energy storage (TES) materials with high enthalpy efficiency, self-healing capabilities, and reprocessability.