Functionally constructed magnetic-dielectric mineral microspheres for efficient thermal energy storage and microwave absorption

Daokui Li; Yili Tang; Xiaochao Zuo; Xinyi Zhang; Xiaoguang Zhao; Yanting Zhang; Huaming Yang

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.021

Functionally constructed magnetic-dielectric mineral microspheres for efficient thermal energy storage and microwave absorption

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2023 Nov 15;650(Pt A):764-774. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.021. Epub 2023 Jul 6.

Authors

Daokui Li¹, Yili Tang², Xiaochao Zuo³, Xinyi Zhang⁴, Xiaoguang Zhao¹, Yanting Zhang⁴, Huaming Yang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Hunan Key Lab of Mineral Materials and Application, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
² College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China.
³ Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Laboratory of Advanced Mineral Materials, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: zuoxiaochao@cug.edu.cn.
⁴ Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Laboratory of Advanced Mineral Materials, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
⁵ Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Hunan Key Lab of Mineral Materials and Application, School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; Laboratory of Advanced Mineral Materials, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China. Electronic address: hmyang@csu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37441969
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.07.021

Abstract

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and equipment heat dissipation problems are becoming increasingly prominent in advanced applications such as modern wireless communications, driverless cars, and portable devices. Multifunctional composites with efficient energy storage, conversion, and microwave absorption are urgently needed. We reported an effective strategy to construct attapulgite (ATP), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and NiCo alloys composite mineral microspheres (ACNC). Urchin-like TiO₂ was coated on the surface of ACNC to form composite microspheres (ACNCT), which was compounded with paraffin (P-ACNCT) to prepare thermal energy storage and microwave absorption integrated material. The urchin-like TiO₂ morphology possesses unique advantages in encapsulating paraffin. The results show that the melting and solidification enthalpy of the P-ACNCT reaches 111.6 J/g and 108.1 J/g, respectively, which indicates excellent thermal energy storage capacity. Combining a dielectric TiO₂ shell with a magnetic composite microsphere core can produce a core-shell microsphere mechanism that allows for adjustable reflection loss and promotes impedance matching. The effective microwave absorption bandwidth of P-ACNCT can reach 5.76 GHz when the thickness is only 1.6 mm in the 2-18 GHz range. P-ACNCT is significant for synchronous microwave absorption and thermal energy regulation of advanced electronic equipment.

Keywords: Magnetic-dielectric mineral microspheres; Microwave absorption; Phase change material; Thermal management.