PCM-Impregnated Textile-Reinforced Cementitious Composite for Thermal Energy Storage
Túlio Caetano Guimarães, Otávio da Fonseca Martins Gomes, Olga Maria Oliveira de Araújo, Ricardo Tadeu Lopes, M’hamed Yassin Rajiv da Gloria, Romildo Dias Tolêdo Filho, Eduardus Koenders, António Caggiano, Christoph Mankel, Mona Nazari Sam, Rodolfo Giacomim Mendes de Andrade, Saulo Rocha Ferreira
Abstract
The growing global energy demand requires solutions that improve energy efficiency in all sectors. The civil construction sector is responsible for a large part of global energy consumption. In this context, phase change materials (PCMs) can be incorporated into construction materials to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The purpose of this study was to incorporate a PCM to jute fabric, applying it in civil construction as a reinforcement for cement matrices. In order to do that, a method of immersing jute fabric in liquid phase change material, and then coating it with a polymer, was proposed. Treated jute fabric was then used to produce a laminated composite with a cementitious matrix. Morphological, mechanical and chemical characterization of jute textiles was performed, as well as an analysis of the composites’ mechanical and thermal behavior. The results verified that jute textiles absorbed 102% PCM in weight, which was successfully contained in the capillary porosity of jute. The PCM was able to delay the composite’s temperature increase by up to 24 °C. It was concluded that this method can be used to incorporate PCM to natural textiles, producing composites with thermal energy storage properties.