An investigation into the solidification of nano-enhanced phase change material for transient thermal management of electronics

Cyclically utilized electronics provide an interesting challenge for thermal management. Phase Change Materials (PCM) are ideal for cyclic operations due to their high capacity to store heat, however, many phase change materials do not exhibit sufficient conductivity to be effective in larger sizes. Conductivity enhancement can be done in a number of ways including the use of foams or nanomaterials. This experimental study examines the thermal behavior of PCMS with carbon nanofibers conductivity enhancement during solidification. The enhanced PCM is found to exhibit lengthened melt times and shortened cool-down times.