A structured phase change material integrated by MXene/AgNWs modified dual-network and polyethylene glycol for energy storage and thermal management

Phase change materials (PCMs) present promising potential in the application of thermal management. Nevertheless, low thermal conductivity and risk of liquid leakage hindered the development of PCMs with broad adoption. Here, we fabricate a shape-stable composite phase change material by encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) into a dual-network hydrogel, which was modified using Ti3C2Tx MXenes and silver nanowires (AgNWs). With the synergistic effect of MXene nanosheets and AgNWs, the composite material that was prepared demonstrates a significant increase in thermal conductivity, reaching a value of 0.64 (W/m·K) and also exhibits a suitable photo-thermal conversion efficiency (88.9%). Moreover, the resulting composite PCM with high-level of PEG loading (90.1%) deliver a remarkable phase change enthalpy (124.8 J/g), highlighting its excellent energy storage capability. Additionally, the final composite displays reliable structural stability and exceptional thermal management performance by reducing the operational temperature of a typical lithium-ion battery by over 12 °C during a 3C discharge process. We demonstrate a promising approach for developing composite PCM for thermal management. [Display omitted] •We designed a shape-stable composite phase change material through the integration of PEG into a dual-network hydrogel.•The hydrogel was modified using Ti3C2Tx MXene and silver nanowires (AgNWs).•The composite shows high latent enthalpy, high thermal conductivity and remarkable photo-thermal conversion efficiency.•The composite exhibits exceptional temperature control and cooling efficiency in the thermal management of batteries.