STM Journals Peer-reviewed research from Consortium e-Learning Network

Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research

Thermally Regulated Polymer-PCM Composites for Efficient Solar Energy Harvesting and Storage

  1. Dhivakar Poosapadi Quest Global Services, Bengaluru
  2. J. Sofia Priya Dharshini Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Rajeev Gandhi Memorial College of Engineering and Technology, Nandyala
  3. P. Booma Devi Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology, Nagaroor
  4. Vikash Kumar Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Rashtrakavi Ramdhari Singh Dinkar College of Engineering
  5. Pankaj Kumar Ray Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Guru Gobind Singh Educational Society’s Technical Campus
  6. Shiv Kumar Ray Bihar Engineering University, Patna
  7. Binu Sukumar Department of Civil Engineering, R.M.K Engineering College, Kavaraipettai
  8. Nellore Manoj Kumar Department of Mathematics, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Thandalam, Chennai
  9. Yesudhas Abisha Department of Civil Engineering, Noorul Islam Centre for Higher Education, Thuckalay, Kanyakumari

Abstract

This study investigates the development of high-performance; shape-stabilized polymer composites infused with phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage in solar energy applications. Polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) was employed as the core PCM due to its high latent heat and suitable melting point, while high-density polyethylene (HDPE) served as the supporting polymer matrix to provide structural stability. One of the primary limitations of PEG-based PCMs is their inherently low thermal conductivity (~0.2 W/m·K), which hampers efficient heat transfer. To overcome this, thermally conductive additives such as expanded graphite (EG) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were incorporated in varying weight percentages to fabricate five composite formulations, labeled C1 through C5, using melt extrusion followed by compression moulding. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the latent heat of fusion (ΔHm) declined modestly from 167.2 J/g for the unfilled PEG/HDPE matrix (C1) to 154.3 J/g for the composite with the highest filler content (C5), while maintaining a consistent melting temperature range (62.3–63.4 °C). Notably, thermal conductivity improved substantially from 0.28 W/m·K (C1) to 1.03 W/m·K (C5), enabling faster heat exchange. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed improved thermal degradation resistance, with onset temperatures rising from 327 °C to 343 °C. Leakage tests indicated enhanced shape-stability, increasing from 85.4% to 98.2%. Moreover, after 100 thermal cycles, the C5 composite retained 92.6% of its initial latent heat, underscoring its durability and suitability for long-term solar thermal storage applications

Keywords

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