Thermodynamics Research Center / ThermoML | Thermochimica Acta

ABSTRACT

Size-dependent thermal properties of neopentyl glycol (NPG) embedded in controlled porous glasses(CPGs) are investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR),and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). In the nanopores of CPGs (diameter d = 11.5 300 nm), NPG showsdepressed solid solid and solid liquid phase transition temperatures and latent heats, which decreaseas the pore size becomes smaller. In thermal cycling around the solid transition, the nano-sized NPGdisplay stable transition temperature and enthalpy change as the bulk. Supercooling in the solid transi-tion increases with the decreasing pore diameter (d greater than 25 nm). From FT-IR and XRD analysis, NPG in thenanopores maintains the same structure as the bulk. The nanoencapsulated NPG is analogous to a seriesof new phase change materials (PCMs), through which the ideal heat storage performance of the bulkmay be handed down.