Phase change materials (PCMs) have gained extensive attention in thermal energy storage (TES). Wax can be used as a PCM in solar storage but it has a low thermal conductivity. Introducing 10% halloysite into wax yields a novel PCM composite (wax-halloysite) which has a thermal conductivity of 0.5 W/mK. To increase the base conductivity, graphite and carbon nanotubes were added into the PCM composite to improve thermal energy storage performance. Thermal conductivity of wax-halloysite-graphite (45/45/10%) composite showed increased conductivity to 1.4 W/mK. This was nearly 3 times higher than the base wax-halloysite composite. Wax-halloysite-graphite-carbon nanotubes (45/45/5/5%) composite showed thermal conductivity of 0.85 W/mK while maintaining the original shape perfectly until 91 �C (above the original wax melting point). Thermal conductivity can be further increased via higher doping of carbon nanotubes. This new composite can be considered a promising heat storage material due to good thermal stability, high thermal/electricity conductivity and ability to preserve its shape during phase transitions.

Phase change insulation for energy efficiency based on wax-halloysite composites

245th National Meeting (2013)

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