Ученые превратили пищевые отходы в эффективный материал для хранения тепловой энергии

Turning Food Waste Into Advanced Materials Food waste is usually treated as a disposal problem. Researchers have now found a way to turn it into a useful material for thermal energy storage. They developed a paper-based membrane using food-waste-derived biochar, graphene and a phase-change material. The team first converted mixed food waste into biochar through carbonization. They then activated the material and combined it with graphene to create a porous structure. This structure can hold a phase-change material called docosane, which absorbs and releases heat as it melts and solidifies. A Major Boost in Heat Transfer The resulting membrane showed a remarkable improvement in thermal performance. Its thermal conductivity reached 66.1 mW/(m·K), which was 96.1% higher than that of the untreated paper membrane used for comparison. The graphene-enhanced biochar also improved the movement of heat through the material. Its porous structure helps create efficient pathways for thermal transport while also helping keep the phase-change material from leaking during melting. Built to Survive Repeated Heating Durability was another important part of the research. The researchers tested the material through 1,000 heating and cooling cycles. The composite maintained strong thermal-storage performance, showing that it could potentially handle repeated use in practical applications. The optimized composite reached a phase-change enthalpy of about 93.1 joules per gram at around 48.4°C. After being integrated into the paper membrane, it retained 80.2% of the bulk composite’s latent heat capacity. Potential for Energy-Efficient Buildings The researchers believe the technology could eventually support energy-recovery ventilation systems, building facades and other thermal-management applications. The membrane can transfer heat while also allowing moisture to move through it, an important feature for ventilation systems. More importantly, the approach gives discarded food waste a second life. Instead of sending organic waste toward disposal, it could become part of advanced materials designed to reduce energy consumption. The technology is still at the research stage, and further work will be needed to assess its cost, manufacturing requirements and performance under real-world conditions. Still, the study demonstrates how waste materials can become valuable components in next-generation energy technologies.