Park Junsang, Karua Pranto, Tang Songtao, Nguyen Ngoc A, Cai Lili
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Illinois Applied Research Institute, The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61801, USA.
Polymers (Basel). 2024 Dec 28;17(1):44. doi: 10.3390/polym17010044.
The rapid advancement of high-performance technologies, such as electric vehicle (EV) batteries; data centers; and AI systems, has underscored the critical need for effective thermal management solutions. Conventional phase change materials (PCMs) often face challenges, like phase leakage, dimensional instability, and environmental concerns, limiting their effectiveness in high-stress applications. This study introduces a novel PCM composed of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and lignin, developed to overcome the existing limitations while improving overall thermal management performance and promoting material sustainability. By chemically crosslinking lignin with aliphatic polymer chains compatible with PEO during co-reactive melt processing, we created an interlocked structure that combines high heat capacity with exceptional structural stability. This structure allows the PCM to retain its form and resist phase transitions even under elevated temperatures, up to 115 °C, far above the melting point of PEO, effectively mitigating leakage issues common in conventional PCMs. Comprehensive thermal characterization and dynamic performance testing demonstrate that the lignin-modified PEO composites effectively absorb and dissipate heat, maintaining dimensional stability and resilience under repeated thermal cycling. These findings position these composites as sustainable, reworkable, and efficient alternatives for advanced thermal management applications, particularly in battery thermal management systems (BTMSs), where stability, durability, and performance are critical.
高性能技术的快速发展，如电动汽车（EV）电池、数据中心和人工智能系统，凸显了对有效热管理解决方案的迫切需求。传统的相变材料（PCM）常常面临诸如相泄漏、尺寸不稳定和环境问题等挑战，限制了它们在高应力应用中的有效性。本研究引入了一种由聚环氧乙烷（PEO）和木质素组成的新型PCM，旨在克服现有局限性，同时提高整体热管理性能并促进材料的可持续性。通过在共反应熔融加工过程中将木质素与与PEO相容的脂肪族聚合物链进行化学交联，我们创建了一种互锁结构，该结构兼具高比热容和出色的结构稳定性。这种结构使PCM即使在高达115°C的高温下（远高于PEO的熔点）仍能保持其形态并抵抗相变，有效缓解了传统PCM中常见的泄漏问题。全面的热特性表征和动态性能测试表明，木质素改性的PEO复合材料能够有效吸收和散发热量，在反复热循环下保持尺寸稳定性和弹性。这些发现使这些复合材料成为先进热管理应用中可持续、可返工且高效的替代品，特别是在电池热管理系统（BTMS）中，稳定性、耐久性和性能至关重要。
