Development of lignin-PEO interlocked composite phase change materials for thermal stability and structural retention in battery thermal management system

Recently, with the rapid development of high-performance technologies such as electric vehicle batteries, data centers, and artificial intelligence systems, technologies that effectively control excessive heat generated by these systems are becoming important. Phase Change Materials (PCMs), which is attracting attention as a representative thermal management material, absorbs and releases heat by utilizing high latent heat properties, but existing PCM materials have limitations such as shape instability, liquid leakage, and environmental problems in the phase change process. In this research, a new PCM composite material was developed by mixing polyethylene oxide (PEO) and lignin, a natural polymer. The interlocked structure between PEO and lignin formed through a chemical crosslinking reaction and melt mixing process has excellent thermal stability and high shape maintenance properties, and phase change was suppressed even at high temperatures above 115°C to solve the liquid leakage problem. As a result of the experiment, it was found that the produced PCMs maintains a stable shape and excellent thermal control performance even in a repetitive thermal cycle environment. Therefore, the lignin-PEO-based PCMs proposed in this study is expected to be used as an effective thermal control material that simultaneously satisfies stability, durability, and sustainability in various high load environments including the Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS).

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Park, Jun Sang

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cai, Lili

• Polyethylene Oxide (peo)
• Lignin
• Phase Change Materials
• Battery Thermal Management System

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Jun Sang Park

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129281

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129281