Electrospun Polyethylene Glycol/Polyvinyl Alcohol Composite Nanofibrous Membranes as Shape-Stabilized Solid–Solid Phase Change Materials

Abstract

In this work, shape-stabilized solid-solid phase change materials (PCMs) were fabricated by simply electrospinning polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Owing to the strong hydrogen bonds and entanglement between those molecular chains of PEG and PVA, PEG was packaged by PVA. The morphological structures, thermal stability and thermal energy storage properties of those fibers were investigated. SEM results showed that those electrospun PVA/PEG composite membranes hold a three-dimensional nonwoven web structure even the content of PEG as high as 70%. The thermal energy storage ability of those composite fibers increased with the increase of the content of PEG. The heat enthalpies of PEG/ PVA = 7/3 were as high as 78.806 J/g. Moreover, those composite fibers had excellent thermal stability. After 100 heating and cooling cycles, there was almost no obvious change in the melting enthalpy and crystallization enthalpy. Those fibers still maintained good thermal regulation. The simple preparation process, low cost of raw materials and excellent stability endow the PCMs great utilization potentiality in smart textile and energy storage systems.

Use of Electrospinning for Sustainable Production of Nanofibers: A Comparative Assessment of Smart Textiles-Related Applications

“…Electrospinning is carried out for designing polymers with thermal properties by incorporating phase-changing materials (PCMs). PCMs can absorb and store energy in the form of latent heat with a limited temperature range, increasing the energy storage density and controlling the body temperature [ 113 ]. However, conventional PCM-based textiles fabricated by a simple mix of PCMs with textiles have limited practical applications due to some intrinsic weaknesses, which include density changes, phase segregation, low thermal conductivity, and leaking.…”

Research Progress on Spider‐Inspired Tough Fibers†

“…Electrospinning (ES) is a general technology for preparing submicron and nanoscale natural, artificial, and synthetic polymer fibers, which can adjust the fiber diameter according to the current intensity and spinning concentration in the device. [ 68‐74 ] The spinning stock solution is often a polymer solution such that, during the spinning process, it volatilizes and solidifies into fibers. [ 75 ] However, certain solutions require the complete dissolution of polymer solution, which unquestionably raises the expense of solvent recovery and interferes with industrial production.…”

One-pot preparation of algae-based phase change fibers with a dynamic double network structure for enhanced strength and toughness

“…Especially with the improvement of living conditions, there is an increasing demand for the heat storage and temperature regulation function of textile fibers. [32][33][34] The traditional thermoregulation modification methods are based on the direct spinning method with the addition of phase change materials such as microcapsules, 35 hollow fiber filling method, and postfinishing. Microencapsulation [36][37][38] effectively solves the problem of leakage, but the technology is complex and costly, and the direct compounding of microcapsules and other phase change materials with the fiber matrix, using traditional dry and wet spinning, melt spinning, and electrostatic spinning.…”