Core-shell microstructured nanocomposites for synergistic adjustment of environmental temperature and humidity

The adjustment of temperature and humidity is of great importance in a variety of fields. Composites that can perform both functions are prepared by mixing phase change materials (PCMs) with hygroscopic materials. However, the contact area between the adsorbent and humid air is inevitably decreased...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Veröffentlicht in:Scientific reports 2016-11, Vol.6 (1), p.36974-36974, Article 36974
Hauptverfasser: Zhang, Haiquan, Yuan, Yanping, Zhang, Nan, Sun, Qingrong, Cao, Xiaoling
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
Schlagworte:
Online-Zugang:Volltext
Tags: Tag hinzufügen
Keine Tags, Fügen Sie den ersten Tag hinzu!
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:The adjustment of temperature and humidity is of great importance in a variety of fields. Composites that can perform both functions are prepared by mixing phase change materials (PCMs) with hygroscopic materials. However, the contact area between the adsorbent and humid air is inevitably decreased in such structures, which reduces the number of mass transfer channels for water vapor. An approach entailing the increase in the mass ratio of the adsorbent is presented here to improve the adsorption capacity. A core-shell CuSO 4 /polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanomaterial was developed to satisfy the conflicting requirements of temperature control and dehumidification. The results show that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the PEG coating layer was enhanced by a factor of 188 compared with that of the pure PEG powder. The coating layer easily concentrates vapor, providing better adsorption properties for the composite. Furthermore, the volume modification of the CuSO 4 matrix was reduced by 80% by the PEG coated layer, a factor that increases the stability of the composite. For the phase change process, the crystallization temperature of the coating layer was adjusted between 37.2 and 46.3 °C by interfacial tension. The core-shell CuSO 4 /PEG composite reported here provides a new general approach for the simultaneous control of temperature and humidity.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep36974