Heat-accumulative material, composition thereof, and use of the material and composition

Abstract

A heat-accumulative material which is a polymer or oligomer having, as a main constituent component, units having a polyether main chain and a side chain, side chains capable of being crystallized, and heat-accumulative composition comprising the same heat-accumulative material. The heat-accumulative material tends to be kept at a constant temperature more effectively by absorbing heat as ambient temperature increases to melt, and releasing heat as ambient temperature decreases to solidify, to moderate changes in ambient temperature, and thereby to exhibit the function as a heat-accumulative material. They have a sufficiently high viscosity, preventing the heat-accumulative material from flowing out even when it is molten. Each of the heat-accumulative material and composition can be made into a heat-accumulative film or sheet, laminate, molded article, composite fiber and cloth which can be suitably used around a body.

1 . A heat-accumulative material which is a polymer or oligomer having, as a main constituent component, units having a polyether main chain and a side chain, side chains capable of being crystallized.  
   
   
       2 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 1 , wherein the unit is represented by formula (1) or (2),  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein R 1  is at least one selected from hydrocarbon groups having 11 or more carbon atoms and R 2  is at least one selected from hydrocarbon groups having 14 or more carbon atoms.  
   
   
       3 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 2 , wherein R 1  or R 2  is a straight-chain alkyl group.  
   
   
       4 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 1 , whose melting point is from −10° C. to 100° C. and latent heat is at least 30 J/g.  
   
   
       5 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 1 , wherein difference between the melting point and the solidifying point of the material is at most 15° C.  
   
   
       6 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 1 , whose 5 weight % loss temperature in the air measured by a TG-DTA analyzer is 200° C. or more.  
   
   
       7 . The heat-accumulative material according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight-average molecular weight Mw of the polymer or oligomer is from 1,000 to 2,000,000.  
   
   
       8 . A heat-accumulative composition comprising the heat-accumulative material of  claim 1  and a synthetic resin.  
   
   
       9 . The heat-accumulative composition according to  claim 8 , wherein the synthetic resin is at least one selected from the group of polyurethane, acrylic, polyamide, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonate, ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer, thermoplastic elastomer, polyphenylene sulfide, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers and ABS resins.  
   
   
       10 . A heat-accumulative film or sheet comprising the material of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       11 . A heat-accumulative laminate comprising the film or sheet of  claim 10  as one layer.  
   
   
       12 . A heat-accumulative composite fiber comprising a core and a sheath; 
 the core comprising the material of  claim 1;     the sheath comprising a synthetic resin.    
   
   
       13 . The heat-accumulative composite fiber according to  claim 12 , wherein the synthetic resin is at least one selected from the group of polyamide, polyester, polyurethane, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl alcohol copolymers and polypropylene resins.  
   
   
       14 . A heat-accumulative cloth comprising the composite fiber of  claim 12 .  
   
   
       15 . A heat-accumulative molded article comprising the material of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       16 . The heat-accumulative molded article according to  claim 15 , which is an energy-saving part or a part for preventing excessive heating or cooling.  
   
   
       17 . The heat-accumulative molded article according to  claim 15 , which is a building material, residential good, automobile part, electric/electronic appliance part, heat-exchanger part, heat exchange medium or heat transfer device part.