Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Based in Paraffin/Synthetic Saponite Used as Heat Storage Composites

Synthetic saponites were successfully used to prepare phase change materials (PCMs) based on paraffin/synthetic saponite. Paraffin/synthetic saponites PCMs were prepared by a solution intercalation process. The PCMs were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analyses and nitrogen adsorption. The thermal properties and the stability of PCMs were measured by DSC analysis and from heating-cooling curves. The results showed that the prepared PCMs have a higher heating rate and a lower cooling speed than paraffin because the heat storage was improved with the synthetic saponite. A one-pot synthesis method for obtaining PCM has been successfully developed in this work. The material thus obtained had better results for heat storage applications.