A Review on Phase Change Materials Produced from Polymer-Nano Material Additive Paraffin Wax in Thermal Energy Storage

Abstract

The use of latent heat storage system using phase change materials (PCM) is an efficient way of storing thermal energy. These materials store energy in the form of latent heat at constant temperature during phase transition and release the same stored energy. Paraffin is one of the important organic PCMs used with methods such as shape stabilization and encapsulation. Due to many limitations affecting the thermal performance of the material, such as the high economic cost of any technical grade paraffin, fluid leakage during the phase transition procedure, low thermal conductivity and low surface area, in order to improve the desired physical properties and thermal performance in latent heat storage, it is important to develop composite phase change materials obtained with paraffin wax. This review paper summarizes studies on phase change materials obtained using paraffin wax, and recommendations on the use of plastic, wax and nanomaterial wastes, which are excessive in the environment, in composite phase change materials are presented within the framework of global climate change mitigation strategies.