Nanoclay Hybridized Graphene Aerogels Encapsulating Phase Change Material for Efficient Solar‐Driven Desalination and Electricity Generation

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2024-11, Vol.34 (48), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Tang, Yili, Zhao, Xiaoguang, Li, Yihang, Yang, Zehui, Zuo, Xiaochao, Tang, Aidong, Yang, Huaming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerogels; Crystal defects; Desalination; Encapsulation; Energy conversion; Evaporation rate; Evaporators; Graphene; Heat transfer; Lauric acid; nanoclay/graphene hybrid aerogels; Phase change materials; Photothermal conversion; Self-assembly; shape‐stabilize composite phase change materials; solar‐driven desalination; solar‐thermoelectric generation; Thermal conductivity; thermal conductivity enhancement; Thermal energy; Thermal storage; Thermoelectric power generation
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.202408693

The utilization of graphene aerogel encapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) presents a promising strategy to achieve solar‐thermal energy conversion and storage. However, the self‐stacking effect and inherent lattice defects in graphene aerogel significantly restrict its overall performance in the encapsulation of PCMs. Herein, interfacially self‐assembled amino‐attapulgite/graphene hybrid aerogels (GNA) are prepared via inspired by the mortise‐tenon structure. Thanks to the structural regulation of the graphene aerogel by the amino‐attapulgite nanofibers, the hybrid aerogels establish a continuous heat transfer pathway inside and ensure stable encapsulation of PCMs. The solar‐driven shape‐stabilized composite PCMs (LA/GNAb) based on GNAb impregnated with lauric acid (LA), which achieves coordinated enhancement of the effective encapsulation rate for LA (93.1%), thermal conductivity (1.164 W m−1 K−1), and photothermal conversion capability (90.5%). Drawing upon the photothermal conversion and thermal storage properties of LA/GNAb, this study demonstrates its advanced applications in solar‐driven desalination and solar‐thermoelectric generation. The evaporator and generator with integrated LA/GNAb show a high evaporation rate of 2.13 kg m−2 h−1 and a stable power density of 1.57 W m−2 under 1‐sun irradiation, respectively, which can sustain additional operating time even under the dark. This work provides new insight into the design of multifunctional solar‐driven thermal interfacial materials. Amino‐attapulgite/graphene hybrid aerogels are constructed by interfacial self‐assembly for encapsulating phase change materials. The prepared shape‐stabilized composite phase change materials with the hybrid aerogels as the matrix demonstrated efficient performance for solar‐driven desalination and solar‐thermoelectric generation applications.