Abstract
Phase change materials have excellent thermal energy storage capacity, making them an appealing option for energy management applications. Stabilizing the form of phase change materials enhances their practical effectiveness. This research focuses on sustaining the shape of low molecular weight PEG phase change materials in wood structures made from natural balsa wood. The alkalization process is used to modify the wood, after which the PEG/epoxy polymers are infused into the wood structure to form a synthetic phase change material. The process of treating wood with alkali involves partially removing lignin from the wood, creating specific spaces. Results from optical transmittance analysis demonstrate that wood treated with alkali and wood infused with phase change polymer exhibit high optical transmittance. SEM images also illustrate the presence of spaces in delignified wood treated with Epoxy/PEG 400 and Epoxy/PEG 600. The synthetic phase change material remains stable at temperatures below 310°C and possesses a ∆Hc of 170.1J/g to 162.8 J/g. The phase transition temperatures during heating are 56.4°C and 57.2°C, cooling is 25.7°C and 30.1°C.
Published Version
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