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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research

Thermal Conductivity and Energy Storage Performance of Paraffin Wax-Based Composites Reinforced with Amine Functionalized Graphene as a Nanofiller

  1. Daya Shankar Prasad Department of Mechanical Engineering, MVN University, Palwal
  2. Pradeep Kumar Singh Department of Mechanical Engineering, GLA University, Mathura

Abstract

In this study, amine-functionalized graphene (AFG) was employed as a nanofiller/nanomaterial to enhance the thermal and structural properties of a paraffin wax (PW)-based polymeric composite, formulated as a phase change material (PCM). The PW/AFG composite was synthesized with varying nanofiller volume fractions (0.20%, 0.40%, 0.80%, and 1.60%), and its thermal conductivity, stability, and energy storage performance were systematically analyzed. The incorporation of AFG into the polymer matrix significantly improved the composite’s thermal conductivity, achieving enhancements of 13.58% to 46.42%. The experimental results confirmed the duration of composite charging time reduced by 61.5% and discharging time extended by 62.5% with increasing the concentration of nanofiller in PW. The rheological and morphological behavior of the composites was also studied to understand filler-matrix interactions. The composite exhibited enhanced thermal stability and latent heat storage, confirming effective dispersion and compatibility of AFG within the paraffin matrix. It has been observed that the optimal concentration is 0.8 vol% based on a comparative analysis of thermal conductivity, charging/discharging times, and stability across various concentrations. These results highlight the potential of polymer-based composite PCMs for advanced thermal energy storage applications.

Keywords

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