High Thermal Effusivity Nanocarbon Materials for Resonant Thermal Energy Harvesting

Abstract

Carbon nanomaterials have extraordinary thermal properties, such as high conductivity and stability. Nanocarbon combined with phase change materials (PCMs) can yield exceptionally high thermal effusivity composites optimal for thermal energy harvesting. The progress in synthesis and processing of high effusivity materials, and their application in resonant energy harvesting from temperature variations is reviewed.

Keywords: carbon nanomaterials; phase change composites; thermal effusivity; thermal energy harvesting.