Random copolymer of poly(polyethylene glycol methyl ether)methacrylate as tunable transition temperature solid-solid phase change material for thermal energy storage

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 225; p. 111030
• Main Authors: Khomein, Piyachai, Nallapaneni, Asritha, Lau, Jonathan, Lilley, Drew, Zhu, Chenhui, Kaur, Sumanjeet, Prasher, Ravi, Liu, Gao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.06.2021; Elsevier BV; Elsevier
• Subjects: Copolymerization; Copolymers; Crystal structure; Energy storage; Flux density; Optical microscopes; Phase change material; Phase change materials; Phase transitions; Polyethylene glycol; Polymers; Random copolymer; SOLAR ENERGY; Solid phases; Solid to solid transition; Thermal energy; Transition temperature; Transition temperatures; Tunable transition temperature; Random copolymer; Phase change material; Tunable transition temperature; Solid to solid transition; Polyethylene glycol
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2021.111030

Polymer based phase change materials (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) applications have gained some attention recently due to their high stability and potential solid to solid phase transition. Here, we are the first to utilize a simple copolymerization strategy for static tunability transition temperature (Tt) of polymeric PCM. The copolymerization between short and long side chain polyethylene glycol based methacrylate polymers was designed to tune Tt with minimum impact on their energy density. Polarized optical microscope and x-ray techniques were also used to understand the relationship between crystal structure and Tt of different copolymer composition which was discussed in the context. The solid to solid transition polymeric PCM were successfully developed with tunable Tt ranged from 18 °C to 35 °C which is suitable toward building envelop applications. •Simple random copolymerization enables transition temperature tunability of SS-PCM.•COPOLYMER 950/500 exhibits higher energy storage density than COPOLYMER 950/163.•Melting point suppression is due to the decrease in crystal density.•SS-PCM with 95 J/g at 25 °C is developed toward building envelop applications.