Form-Stable Solar Thermal Heat Packs Prepared by Impregnating Phase-Changing Materials within Carbon-Coated Copper Foams

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b17492
• Publication Date: 2018-12-26T18:49:47Z
• Authors: Qinxian Ye; Peng Tao; Chao Chang; Linye Zhou; Xiaoliang Zeng; Chengyi Song; Wen Shang; Jianbo Wu; Tao Deng
• Keywords: Carbon fibers

The heat packs that are based on solid–liquid transition of phase-changing materials (PCMs) have been pursued as a promising way to provide heating for human body comfort and thermotherapy owning their large storage capacity near-constant heat-release temperature. Current packs, however, suffer from leakage, slow charging, poor performance due the flow liquid PCMs low thermal conductivity. Here, we report strategy preparing high-performance PCM-based solar through impregnating organic within carbon-coated copper foams (CCFs). porous structure hydrophobic surface CCF help effectively confine melted PCM composite pack without leakage. carbon coating layer efficiently converts incident light into heat, which is rapidly transferred along three-dimensional conductive network stored PCM. In discharging process, facilitates extraction contrast neat only small portion in contact with skin contributes comfort, all CCF-based concertedly release heat. Such significantly increases extractable energy prolongs usable healing duration thermotherapy.