Effect of pre-treatment methods on natural raw materials-based phase change material composites for building applications. (10th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Konuklu, Yeliz; Ersoy, Orkun; Akar, Hasan Burak; Erzin, Fatma
• Is Part Of: Construction & building materials. Volume 263(2021)
• Publication Date: 2020-12-10
• Subjects: Phase change material -- Thermal energy storage -- Latent heat -- Composite material -- Raw materials; Building materials -- Periodicals; 624.18
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.120114
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-0618

Abstract

Highlights: Natural raw materials-based phase change material composites were prepared. Different pre-treatment methods of natural raw materials were compared. Influence of the different methods on thermal properties of composites reported. The prepared composites store excess heat and can prevent building material from overheating. Abstract: This study focuses on the effect of pre-treatment methods of natural raw materials to the properties of diatomite or sepiolite-based heptadecane composites for building applications. In order to see the effects of different pre-treatment methods, the composites were prepared using impregnation method without pre-treatment, with microwave treatment and calcination treatment of raw materials before compounding. Chemical (FTIR), morphological (SEM) and thermal (DSC) analysis results showed that shape-stabilized diatomite- and sepiolite-based hexadecane composites were successfully prepared by impregnation method. It was observed that the pre-treatment performed in the diatomite with microwave for no more than 1 min increased the percentages of PCM and latent heats from 28, 36% and 51.71 J/g to 35, 78% and 65.24 J/g, respectively. The percentage of PCM and latent heat increased from 22, 23% and 40.54 J/g to 32, 38% and 59.54 J/g, respectively, after the microwave treatment of sepiolite for 3–6 min. The results showed that pre-treatment with calcination in raw material-based PCM composites did not have a positive effect as much as pre-treatment with microwave. The success of the microwave pre-treatment against calcination has been attributed to the homogeneous microwave heating process. Leak tightness tests and thermal performance tests of composites in cement-based grouting mortar have also proven that composites store excess heat and can provide thermal regulation in building applications as leakage-free energy storage materials.