Stearic acid/silica fume composite as form-stable phase change material for thermal energy storage

The aim of this research is to prepare a novel form-stable composite phase change material (PCM) for the latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) in buildings, passive solar space heating by impregnating of stearic acid (SA) into silica fume (SF) matrix through the technique of solution impregnation. The structure, thermal properties, thermal reliability, thermal conductivity and heat storage or release performance of the composite PCM were determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal cycling test analysis technique. The results show that the form-stable composite PCM has the optimal effect, preventing the leakage of SA from the composite, emerges when the SA and SF mass ratio is 1:0.9. The SA loaded on the matrix surface by physical attraction with the mass ratio of 47% during the preparation process. The latent heat of the composite PCM is measured as 82.53 J/g for the melting process and 84.47 J/g for the freezing process, respectively, which indicate the heat storage ability of composite is connected with the mass ratio of SA in composite. The results of DSC, FTIR and thermal cycling test are all show that the thermal reliability of the composite PCM has an imperceptible change. The increase of thermal conductivity was also confirmed by comparing the melting time, freezing time and phase change time of the composite with that of SA. All of the conclusions indicate that the composite has a better thermal conductivity and good thermal and chemical stability.

► Silica fume (Microsilica) was utilized first to prepare composite phase change material.
► Microsilica is a by-product in the production of ferrosilicon alloy and usually used as mineral additive for cement. Based on this reason, SF is a suitable matrix to prepare composite PCM using in building for the latent heat thermal energy storage.
► The thermal properties and thermal reliability SA/SF composite are as high as comparable with those of the phase change composites prepared by impregnation of different building materials with different PCMs.