Preparation and Thermophysical Properties of Ternary Eutectic Composite PCM for Thermal Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) particles were integrated into a ternary eutectic mixture of capric-lauric-myristic acid (CA-LA-MA) to form a composite material (CA-LA-MA/GO). The GO particles were synthesized using the modified Hummers method, and their size, shape, and morphology were confirmed through XRD and SEM analyses. The ternary mixture was prepared based on theoretically calculated mass ratios and validated using DSC. FT-IR analysis was employed to verify the physical interactions among the precursor components. Notably, the CA-LA-MA/GO composite exhibited thermal decomposition only above 125°C. The phase change temperature demonstrated consistent behavior after the addition of GO, even after undergoing 1000 thermal cycles. Following these cycles, the composite PCM showed a decrease of 5.08% and 3.83% in freezing and melting latent heat, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the composite increased by 36% due to the incorporation of GO, as confirmed by the accelerated melting and freezing processes. Based on these comprehensive findings, it can be concluded that the prepared CA-LA-MA/GO ternary eutectic composite holds great promise for applications such as low-temperature thermal energy storage, thermal energy conservation and management in buildings, and other potential fields.