A high throughput manufacturing process to magnetically assembling nanowire (NW) network into paraffin was developed for enhancing conductivity in phase change materials (PCMs) used in energy storage applications. The prefabricated nickel NWs were dispersed in melted paraffin followed by magnetic alignment under a strong magnetic field. Measuring electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite, as well as observing cross section of the sample slice under an optical microscope characterized the alignment of NWs. As a comparison, nickel particles (NPs) based paraffin nanocomposites were also fabricated, and its electrical conductivity with and without applied magnetic field were measured. The effects of aspect ratio of fillers (particles and NWs) and volume concentration on percolation threshold were studied both experimentally and theoretically. It was found that the NW based paraffin nanocomposite has much lower percolation threshold compared to that of particle based paraffin composite. Furthermore, the alignment of particles and NWs under magnetic field significantly reduces the threshold of percolation. This work provides solid foundation for the development of a manufacturing technology for high thermal conductivity PCMs for thermal energy storage applications.
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August 2014
Research-Article
Magnetically Assembling Nanoscale Metal Network Into Phase Change Material—Percolation Threshold Reduction in Paraffin Using Magnetically Assembly of Nanowires
Junwei Su,
Junwei Su
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: junwei_su@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: junwei_su@student.uml.edu
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Iman Mirzaee,
Iman Mirzaee
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: iman_mirzaeekakhki@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: iman_mirzaeekakhki@student.uml.edu
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Fan Gao,
Fan Gao
Department of Chemical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: fan_gao@uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: fan_gao@uml.edu
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Xiao Liu,
Xiao Liu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: xiao_liu1@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: xiao_liu1@student.uml.edu
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Majid Charmchi,
Majid Charmchi
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
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Zhiyong Gu,
Zhiyong Gu
Department of Chemical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: zhiyong_gu@uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: zhiyong_gu@uml.edu
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Hongwei Sun
Hongwei Sun
1
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: hongwei_sun@uml.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: hongwei_sun@uml.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Junwei Su
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: junwei_su@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: junwei_su@student.uml.edu
Iman Mirzaee
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: iman_mirzaeekakhki@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: iman_mirzaeekakhki@student.uml.edu
Fan Gao
Department of Chemical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: fan_gao@uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: fan_gao@uml.edu
Xiao Liu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: xiao_liu1@student.uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: xiao_liu1@student.uml.edu
Majid Charmchi
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: majid_charmchi@uml.edu
Zhiyong Gu
Department of Chemical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: zhiyong_gu@uml.edu
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: zhiyong_gu@uml.edu
Hongwei Sun
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
One University Avenue,
e-mail: hongwei_sun@uml.edu
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Massachusetts Lowell
,One University Avenue,
Lowell, MA 01854
e-mail: hongwei_sun@uml.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received August 26, 2014; final manuscript received September 15, 2014; published online December 10, 2014. Assoc. Editor: Hadi Ghasemi.
J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med. Aug 2014, 5(3): 031005 (5 pages)
Published Online: August 1, 2014
Article history
Received:
August 26, 2014
Revision Received:
September 15, 2014
Online:
December 10, 2014
Citation
Su, J., Mirzaee, I., Gao, F., Liu, X., Charmchi, M., Gu, Z., and Sun, H. (August 1, 2014). "Magnetically Assembling Nanoscale Metal Network Into Phase Change Material—Percolation Threshold Reduction in Paraffin Using Magnetically Assembly of Nanowires." ASME. J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med. August 2014; 5(3): 031005. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029161
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