Soutenance de thèse de Daniela Pricop

Solid–liquid phase change materials (PCMs) are a promising solution for thermal energy storage due to their ability to absorb large amounts of heat as latent energy during phase transitions. PCMs are also attractive for the thermal management of microelectronic devices subjected to pulsed operating conditions, as they help mitigate sudden temperature fluctuations. However, their widespread integration is hindered by two major challenges: leakage in the liquid state and their inherently low thermal conductivity.
This work focuses on the study of phase change composite materials based on expanded graphite and fatty acids. These composites are particularly promising because they exhibit significantly enhanced thermal conductivity at moderate graphite loadings and are capable of retaining the PCM in its liquid state within the porous structure of the graphite during melting.
The study investigates the synthesis, structural characterization, and functional properties of these composites as a function of graphite content. The results demonstrate that these materials are especially attractive due to their high thermal effusivity. This property reaches its maximum at higher graphite loadings than those commonly reported in the literature. Furthermore, their dimensional stability is improved under these conditions. Numerical simulations also show that these composites are better suited for managing high heat fluxes, confirming the potential of such formulations for advanced thermal management applications.

 

Composition du jury :

• M’hamed Boutaous, Professeur des universités, INSA de Lyon, Rapporteur
• Xavier Py, Professeur des universités, Université de Nantes, Rapporteur
• Emmanuel Flahaut, Directeur de Recherche CNRS, CIRIMAT Toulouse, Examinateur
• Isabelle Royaud, Professeure des universités, Université de Lorraine, Examinatrice
• Sebastian Volz, Directeur de Recherche CNRS, LIMMS Tokyo, Examinateur