Invented an efficient and environmentally friendly material for heat storage

The invention is a so-called shape-stabilized phase change material. He

can absorb large amounts of heat, changingits physical state from solid to liquid. The stored heat is then re-released as the material hardens. “Many people are familiar with this principle from hand warmers,” explains Professor Thomas Hahn from the MLU Institute of Chemistry.

The new development can be used inconstruction industry to create large panels that can be integrated into walls. They will then absorb heat during the sunny hours of the day and release it again later when the temperature drops. This will help save a lot of energy. Panels made from this mixture of materials do not melt when heat is absorbed. “In our invention, the heat storage material is encapsulated in a hard silicate framework, which makes it more stable,” Khan explains. In the production of the new material, environmentally friendly substances are used: harmless fatty acids, such as those found in soaps and creams. From rice husks, additives can be obtained that give the material strength and increased thermal conductivity.

The team of scientists received support from the groupresearchers led by Prof. Kirsten Basia at MLU who used fluorescence microscopy to visualize the mechanism. “The knowledge we gain can be used to further optimize the material and potentially produce it on an industrial scale,” says Felix Marske, who promoted the development as part of his doctoral dissertation. So far, the material has only been produced in the laboratory in small quantities. In the future, it could be used to make buildings much more energy efficient, or to provide passive cooling for photovoltaic systems and arrays, thereby increasing their efficiency.

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