Abstract
Nowadays, thermal regulation of the indoor environment is mandatory to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The incorporation of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) and especially solid–solid PCMs (s/s PCMs) into building materials can be a major step forward in reducing energy consumption. Such materials are used for their high latent heat to save and release heat during phase change. To integrate these products in the fabrication of cementitious materials, it is essential to predict their influence on the rheological behaviour of construction materials. In this work, rheological measurements were carried out on composite suspensions made of cement or mortar plus s/s PCMs. Results showed that the fitting of the Herschel–Bulkley model with a constant value of flow exponent was reliable. The s/s PCMs influenced the consistency and the yield strength values, with the yield strength value being only slightly affected. The adaptation of an existing viscosity model is proposed to predict the consistency value of suspensions. Finally, an innovative approach to predict the flow behaviour is proposed and we highlight the research needs to mainstream the use of s/s PCMs in construction materials.
Highlights
In order to understand the rheological behaviour of the composites, it is relevant to understand the interactions between cement grains and s/s Phase Change Materials (PCMs)
The measurement of trapped s/s PCMs in cement matrix allows knowing the part of soluble s/s PCMs adsorbed on cement grains
As the centrifugation extracts s/s PCMs solution, i.e., the interstitial fluid of the cement paste, we measure the concentration by comparing the final concentration of this solution to the initial concentration
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The reduction of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is an important issue. While worldwide demand for energy keeps increasing, international commitments have been ratified to limit GHG emissions [1,2]. Building heating and air conditioning require intensive use of resources and energy [3]. In 2016, thermal regulation of the indoor environment was responsible for 25% of the total energy consumption in France [4]
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