Nanomaterial-embedded phase-change materials (PCMs) for reducing building cooling needs

Abstract

The era of nanoscience and nanotechnology has been increasingly rejuvenating the quest towards the development of advanced materials for cooling applications in buildings. The nanomaterials being produced in the size range between 1 and 100 nm, with different surface morphologies, can be used for the enhancement of the thermal storage properties of phase-change materials (PCMs). Nanomaterial-embedded PCMs exhibit improved thermal conductivity, effective heat transfer, swift charging and discharging rates, reduced supercooling, and thermal stability over the long term. Factually, the creation of a densely packed network of thermal interfaces and the associated phonon-like heat transfer are expected due to the infusion of the nanomaterials into the PCMs. This in turn facilitates their undergoing the charging and discharging processes at a relatively much faster rate compared to the PCM in its purest form. Altogether, PCMs embedded with surface functionalized nanomaterials can be considered potential candidates for achieving reduced cooling needs without sacrificing the energy redistribution requirements in buildings.