Feasibility of Storing Latent Heat with Liquid Crystals. Proof of Concept at Lab Scale
Source abstract
Abstract
In this work, the first experimental results of thermotropic liquid crystals used as phase change materials for thermal storage are presented. For that purpose, the n = 10 derivative from the family of 4′-n-alkoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylic acids has been prepared. Different techniques like polarized-light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and rheological measurements have been applied for its characterization. Having a mesophase/isotropic transition temperature around 251 °C, a clearing enthalpy of 55 kJ/kg, a thermal heat capacity of around 2.4 kJ/kg and a dynamic viscosity lower than 0.6 Pas, this compound fulfills the main requirements for being considered as latent heat storage material. Although further studies on thermal stability are necessary, the results already obtained are both promising and encouraging since they demonstrate de viability of this new application of liquid crystals as thermal storage media.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Material Dynamics and Properties · Phase Change Materials Research · Liquid Crystal Research Advancements
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
CSSU-Thermal Storage, CIEMAT-PSA, Av. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
IU CINQUIMA/Química Inorgánica, Universidad de Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 5, 47071 Valladolid, Spain
TECNALIA, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Guipuzcoa, Mikeletegi Pasealekua 2, 20009 San Sebastián, Spain
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