RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article T1 Feasibility of Storing Latent Heat with Liquid Crystals. Proof of Concept at Lab Scale A1 Bayón, Rocío A1 Coco Cea, Silverio A1 Barcenilla Castellano, María A1 Espinet Rubio, Pablo A1 Imbuluzqueta, Gorka A1 Hidalgo, Jokin A1 Rojas, Esther K1 Almacenamiento térmico K1 Cristales líquidos K1 Thermal storage K1 Liquid crystal AB In this work, the first experimental results of thermotropic liquid crystals used as phase change materials for thermal storage are presented. For that purpose, the n = 10 derivative from the family of 4′-n-alkoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylic acids has been prepared. Different techniques like polarized-light microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and rheological measurements have been applied for its characterization. Having a mesophase/isotropic transition temperature around 251 °C, a clearing enthalpy of 55 kJ/kg, a thermal heat capacity of around 2.4 kJ/kg and a dynamic viscosity lower than 0.6 Pas, this compound fulfills the main requirements for being considered as latent heat storage material. Although further studies on thermal stability are necessary, the results already obtained are both promising and encouraging since they demonstrate de viability of this new application of liquid crystals as thermal storage media. PB MDPI SN 2076-3417 YR 2016 FD 2016 LK http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/33431 UL http://uvadoc.uva.es/handle/10324/33431 LA eng NO Applied Sciences, 2016, 6(5), 121 NO Producción Científica DS UVaDOC RD 24-nov-2024