Novel shapeable phase change material (PCM) composites for thermal energy storage (TES) applications

Phase change materials (PCMs) have recently found a wide range of new application opportunities. One of their main constraints is their integration in complex geometries. Present work has prepared shapeable polymer composites with PCM capsules for thermal energy storage (TES) systems – ones that especially need specific integration requirements. Different preparation methods of PCMs are necessary to meet the integration obstacles. With the goal of filling the R&D gap, stearic acid was encapsulated in two different kinds of shells of SiO2 and PMMA and then incorporated into the PMMA matrix to form shapeable composites. Thermal, chemical, and physical properties of composites and their components were studied in comparison to the matrix material. This initial study showed that our novel shapeable PCM composites come with many advantages: less volume, no leakage, suitable storage capacities, as well as flexible shapes that can be easily engineered in various TES systems. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.213M650The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by TUBITAK under the Project no. 213M650