Phase change composite based on porous nickel and erythritol

We developed a phase change composite (PCC) using a porous metal with a thermal conductivity that is two orders larger than that of the original phase change material (PCM). A PCC of erythritol/porous nickel was prepared by vacuum impregnation, and its thermophysical properties such as effective thermal conductivity, latent heat, and melting temperature were measured by the laser flash method and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of the porous structure was also examined. Results showed that the latent heat of the PCC could be simply explained by the impregnation ratio of the PCM, not by the pore size. The largest effective thermal conductivity, 11.6 W m−1 K−1, was recorded for PCC with 15 vol% of porous nickel having a pore size of 500 μm and 85 vol% of PCM; this value is 16 times higher than that of pure erythritol, i.e., 0.733. The developed PCC offers many benefits, including a high heat transfer rate and enhanced cost-effectiveness, and it will also contribute to the efficient utilization of solar heat and industrial waste heat.

► A phase change composite (PCC) using a porous metal was developed.
► The thermal conductivity of PCC increased with an increase in the pore size.
► The largest conductivity is two orders larger than that of the original PCM.