IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,280,518
Granted Patent B2
US 12,280,518 · App. 17/936,925 · Granted Apr 22, 2025

Wood template-supported phase change composite for thermal energy applications

Inventors: Shuang Cui (Dallas, TX); Charles William Booten (Arvada, CO); Judith Cecilia Vidal (Littleton, CO); Yudong Li (Golden, CO); Kyle Edward O'Neil Foster (Denver, CO); Xiaowen Chen (Arvada, CO); Kelsey Mary Lynch (Denver, CO); Hongbing Lu (Plano, TX); Bernadette Karen Magalindan (Dallas, TX); Gustavo Felicio Perruci (Richardson, TX)
Assignees: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC; Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
B27K3/0207B27K3/15B27K5/001B27K5/007F28D20/023B27K2240/10B27K2240/60F28D2020/0017
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,280,518
App. No.
17/936,925
Granted
Apr 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Wood template-supported phase change material (PCM) composite having thermal energy storage applications. A wood template-supported PCM may include a wood template that has had at least a portion of its xylan and/or lignin removed and saturated with a PCM. The PCM may be stabilized with a cross linkable network for improved infiltration into the wood template. The wood template-supported PCM composite may be formed by extracting xylan and/or lignin from the wood to create a wood template, densifying at least a portion of the wood template, and inserting a PCM into the wood template.

Claims (48)

1. A method of forming a wood template-supported phase change composite, the method comprising:

extracting a xylan from a wood, resulting in a wood template;

densifying at least a portion of the wood template; and

inserting a phase change material into the wood template, wherein:

the phase change material comprises a material that can absorb or release heat when changing phase, and

the phase change material comprises polyethylene glycol and the stabilizing agent comprises poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting comprises:

soaking at least a portion of the wood in a first solution;

removing the wood from the first solution;

applying a heat and a pressure to the wood; and

washing the wood with a second solution.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the first solution comprises water, and

the second solution comprises at least one of water or methanol.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the heat is in the range of about 100° F. to about 250° F.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:

the heat is in the range of about 140° F. to about 190° F.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the densifying comprises:

wetting at least a portion of the wood template, and

compressing the wood template.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the wetting comprises:

soaking the at least a portion of the wood template in water.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the compressing comprises:

positioning a first plate on a first side of the wood template,

positioning a second plate on a second side of the wood template, and

applying a pressure the wood template through the first plate and the second plate.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:

the pressure comprises a displacement rate of approximately 1 mm/min.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inserting comprises:

soaking the wood template in a solution comprising the phase change material and a stabilizing agent.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the phase change material and the stabilizing agent are cross-linkable.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the wood comprises at least one of pine, balsa, cedar, spruce, firwood, hemlock timber, teak wood, oak, maple, cherry, walnut, beech, mahogany, mango wood, sal wood, or ash.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using the wood-template supported phase change composite for thermal energy storage.

14. A wood template-supported phase change composite device comprising:

a wood template; and

a phase change material and a stabilizing agent inserted in the wood template; wherein:

the wood template comprises a wood that has had a xylan removed and at least a portion of the wood template is densified, and

the phase change material comprises polyethylene glycol and the stabilizing agent comprises poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein:

the phase change material comprises a material that can absorb or release heat when changing phase.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein:

the phase change material and the stabilizing agent are cross-linkable.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein:

the wood comprises at least one of pine, balsa, cedar, spruce, firwood, hemlock timber, teak wood, oak, maple, cherry, walnut, beech, mahogany, mango wood, sal wood, or ash.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 16, 2025
From: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
To: ALLIANCE FOR ENERGY INNOVATION, LLC
Reel/Frame 073993/0276 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded May 30, 2023
From: NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 063797/0679 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2022
From: CUI, SHUANG
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 061646/0506 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXPUNGED 1ST INVENTOR'S NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 061273 FRAME: 0054. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Oct 6, 2022
From: BOOTEN, CHARLES WILLIAM; VIDAL, JUDITH CECILIA; LI, UDONG; FOSTER, KYLE EDWARD O'NEIL; CHEN, XIAOWEN; LYNCH, KELSEY MARY
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 061618/0098 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 30, 2022
From: CUI, SHUANG; BOOTEN, CHARLES WILLIAM; VIDAL, JUDITH CECILIA; LI, UDONG; FOSTER, KYLE EDWARD O'NEIL; CHEN, XIAOWEN; LYNCH, KELSEY MARY
To: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 061273/0054 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63250427 · Sep 30, 2021
Related Publication 20230111862A1 · Apr 13, 2023
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