Development of New Shaking Gel for High-temperature Heat Storage

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K03894
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 19020:Thermal engineering-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Hirose Yuji 千葉大学, 大学院工学研究院, 助教 (60400991)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 震盪ゲル / 熱伝導率 / ゲル=ゾル転移 / シリカ分散系 / 三次元網目 / シリカナノ粒子 / 蓄熱ゲル / 保温材

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied viscosity and thermal insulation characteristics of “shaking gels” with nanosilica and poly(ethylene glycol), PEG. The gelation could be observed at 343 K by using higher molecular weight (4,000,000) PEG. The time to recover the fluidity of gelated sample with silica whose diameter is 18 nm or 25 nm became much longer than that with 11 nm silica. In addition, the temperature of heated sample decreased more slowly by gelation. This effect could not be observed for the sample with 11 nm silica.
We also made a device and measured the thermal conductivity of samples. The value of gelated sample with silica (25 nm, 30 wt%) and PEG (0.50 wt%) was less than that of non-gelated sample. Shaking gels are expected to be used as an effective thermal insulation material.

Free Research Field

レオロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

震盪ゲル試料内部のシリカサイズの変更により，ゲル状態を保つ時間が大きく変化することが判明し，高分子が作成する三次元網目構造の違いが物性に大きな影響を及ぼすと考えられ，さらなる性能向上の足掛かりとなる知見が得られた．また，通常は粘度の小さな液体で工場等の排熱をより短時間で蓄えることができ，その後比較的高い温度でも振ることでゲルとすることで保温性能が高まる試料を，比較的安価に創成したことで排熱利用をより効率的に行うことが期待される．