Nano additive enhanced salt hydrate phase change materials for thermal energy storage

ABSTRACT

Energy storage plays a vital role in sustainable development. Focus on energy storage using phase change materials (PCMs) are of current research hotspot due to high latent heat value. Nevertheless, poor thermal conductivity, supercooling, phase separation, corrosive nature of salt hydrate is of great concern. Distress related to properties of PCM is resolved using nano additives. Major research focus on the dispersion of nano additive with PCM depends on (a) technique of preparing a novel composite PCM; (b) improvement of their thermophysical characteristic; and (c) advanced application for human comfort without polluting the environment. This article presents a critical review of hybridization techniques of metal, carbon and polymer additives on salt hydrate PCMs. To facilitate researchers, the significant variation on thermophysical properties of salt hydrate with nano additives are vitally compared, analysed and critically reviewed. This review article also includes the advanced application of nano additives-based salt hydrate PCMs.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Salt hydrate PCMs
• hybridization
• nano additives
• carbon nanoparticle
• thermal property
• thermal energy storage
• PCM applications
• inorganic phase change material

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the financial assistance of Sunway University through Sunway University collaborative research fund: MRU 2019 (STR-RMF-MRU-004-2019) and Universiti Malaysia Pahang through RDU213303, for carrying out this research.