Key Engineering Materials Vol. 501

Abstract: Two different methods, heat fusion process and solution infusion process had been used to synthesize a kind of phase change material (PCM) for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). The composite was composed by steraric acid (SA) and montmorillonite (MMT). The morphology of the SA/MMT was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and FT-IR. The thermal performance and stability of the composite was characterized by differential thermal scanners (DSC) and heating store/release experiment. The FT-IR results demonstrated the PCMs and MMT combined by only physical bonds, SEM results showed that SA was intercalated in to MMT, and heat fusion process was contribute to the combination better than the other. The heating store/release experiment indicated that the stability of M-SA/MMT is better than S-SA/MMT.