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What materials absorb heat the best?

Updated: 9/22/2023
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Wiki User

11y ago

Best Answer

In terms of latent heat

and efficiency, water is the best way to absorb heat for a given mass. If the cost (of containing the water) is a great concern, solids such as stone, gravel, concrete, brick, or soil may be used but will generally have a lower efficiency absorbing and releasing the heat. Water is used in automobiles and buildings for the heat transfer system (usually mixed with an antifreeze).

If volume or weight is a great concern phase change materials

such as paraffin wax have very high values of specific heat, but are expensive

. They are used to line fire proof safes and airplane black boxes

.

If the concern is absorbing solar energy

, it depends on the temperature you are aiming for.
At lower temperatures (such as heating Swimming Pools or residential air), the absorption rating is more important than the emissivity.
At higher temperatures (hot water) you will want the surface of the absorber to have low emissivity. The best surface has a high aS

/E ratio such as oxidized stainless steel, oxidized nickel, black chrome or various commercial selective surface coatings

. see link: "Absorptivity & Emissivity table 1 plus others", and scroll down to this table.

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Joany Funk

Lvl 13
1y ago
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Wiki User

14y ago

In terms of latent heat

and efficiency, water is the best way to absorb heat for a given mass. If the cost (of containing the water) is a great concern, solids such as stone, gravel, concrete, brick, or soil may be used but will generally have a lower efficiency absorbing and releasing the heat. Water is used in automobiles and buildings for the heat transfer system (usually mixed with an antifreeze).

If volume or weight is a great concern phase change materials

such as paraffin wax have very high values of specific heat, but are expensive

. They are used to line fire proof safes and airplane black boxes

.

If the concern is absorbing solar energy

, it depends on the temperature you are aiming for.
At lower temperatures (such as heating Swimming Pools or residential air), the absorption rating is more important than the emissivity.
At higher temperatures (hot water) you will want the surface of the absorber to have low emissivity. The best surface has a high aS

/E ratio such as oxidized stainless steel, oxidized nickel, black chrome or various commercial selective surface coatings

. see link: "Absorptivity & Emissivity table 1 plus others", and scroll down to this table.

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