Effect of Phase Change Materials on Optimization of Thermal Properties of Concrete

Abstract:

This research investigates the impact of micro-encapsulated phase change materials (micro-PCMs) on the thermal performance and mechanical properties of concrete, specifically focusing on improving energy efficiency in buildings. Four concrete mixtures were studied: one control mix without micro-PCMs and three mixes containing 7.5%, 15%, and 30% micro-PCMs added to the cement content. The slump, density, compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and temperature changes over time were measured. The results show that incorporating micro-PCMs improves workability to 16% for the mix containing 30% PCM. The unit weight of the concrete decreased with an increase of PCM reduction of up to 4.6% at 30% micro-PCM content. However, there was a significant decline in compressive strength, with reductions to 12.2 and 20.1 MPa after 7 and 28 days for the mix of 30% PCM. Adding micro-PCMs significantly reduced thermal conductivity by as much as 49.2%, enhancing the insulation performance of 30% PCM. The heat transfer analysis indicated that integrating PCMs lowers peak temperatures to 25%, delaying the time to reach peak temperature.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 1020)
• Pages: 91-100
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-aFxEY8
• Online since: August 2025
• Authors: Nour Bassim Frahat*, Mohamed Amin, Ashraf Mohamed Heniegal, Kassem Salah El-Alfy, Hamouda Hassan Hassan
• Keywords: Concrete with PCM, Energy Saving, Mechanical Properties, Phase Change Material (PCMs), Thermal Energy Storage

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