Investigation of Phase Change Material Impregnation in a Highly Porous Structure

This study delves into the development and investigation of composite components by impregnating a highly porous mineral-based material (Ca2SiO4) with two different paraffinic Phase Change Materials (PCMs) characterised by diverse melting and crystallisation temperatures. The host porous material exhibits a remarkable PCM absorption, exceeding 57 wt%. While the latent heat values of composites incorporating PCMs were found to be lower than those of pure PCMs, they notably enhance the storage heat capacity of the porous material. Specifically, composite samples exhibited latent heat of fusion (LHF) values between 77 and 113 J/g, 52% lower than pure PCMs, and a transition temperature of 29-30 degrees C. The results underline the effectiveness of calcium silicate panels as a highly suitable host material for PCMs. The implications of these findings are substantial, particularly for scaling up the development and production of PCMs-based panels for building applications.