Preparation of capric acid/halloysite nanotube composite as form-stable phase change material for thermal energy storage

A novel form-stable composite as phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage was prepared by absorbing capric acid (CA) into halloysite nanotube (HNT). The composite PCM was characterized by TEM, FT-IR and DSC analysis techniques. The composite can contain capric acid as high as 60 wt% and maintain its original shape perfectly without any CA leakage after subjected to 50 melt-freeze cycles. The melting temperature and latent heat of composite (CA/HNT: 60/40 wt%) were determined as 29.34 °C and 75.52 J/g by DSC. Graphite (G) was added into the composite to improve thermal storage performance and the thermal storage and release rates were increased by 1.8 times and 1.7 times compared with the composite without graphite, respectively. Due to its high adsorption capacity of CA, high heat storage capacity, good thermal stability, low cost and simple preparation method, the composite can be considered as cost-effective latent heat storage material for practical applications such as solar energy storage, building energy conservation and agricultural greenhouse in the near future.

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► The halloysite nanotube (HNT) can be used to absorb capric acid (CA).
► The thermal storage performance of composite can be improved by adding graphite.
► The result demonstrates the potential of CA/HNT composite to store solar energy.