Evaluation of carbon based-supporting materials for developing form-stable organic phase change materials for thermal energy storage: A review

This paper thoroughly reviews the development and characterization of carbon-based form stable organic phase change materials (FS-OPCMs) for latent heat storage applications. The O-PCMs such as paraffin, fatty acids, polyethylene glycols (PEGs), etc., suffer from poor thermal conductivity and flow ability in their molten state, which restricts their many applications. Carbon-based materials are seen as a promising and viable way to overcome these challenges. They have a very high thermal conductivity and can hold liquid phase change materials (PCMs) in their pores. This review provides comprehensive coverage of the carbon structures and their classifications, including carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon nanofiber (CNF), expanded graphite (EG), graphene, graphene oxide (GO), carbonized industrial solid wastes, and other carbon-based materials that can be used as supporting porous materials in developing FS-OPCMs for thermal energy storage (TES) applications. In addition, the thermal and chemical performance of carbon-based FS-OPCMs is extensively investigated and given. The applications of such composites are also discussed and summarized. Finally, the potential of these materials for thermal energy storage is presented. This review provides an in-depth insight into the potential of carbon-based materials for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES).