Phase Transition Microbeads for Thermal Energy Storage Applications

In an era where energy demand is constantly on the rise and environmental concerns loom large, there is an ever-increasing need for innovative energy storage solutions that are not only efficient but also eco-friendly. Microbead energy storage using phase transition/change materials (PCMs) is one such groundbreaking concept that has the potential to reshape the energy landscape. In this present study, the microbeads were prepared by entrapping palmitic acid PCM in a calcium alginate shell through an in-situ gelation technique using sodium alginate (SA) and a cross-linking agent, such as calcium chloride. The prepared microbeads were characterized using FESEM, FTIR, XRD, DSC, and TGA. The surface morphology of the PCM microbeads was observed using FESEM. The morphology shows that the microbeads were near spherical in nature, and the size of the particles is in a range of 700–1200 μm as shown in Fig. 1. The elemental analysis from EDX also confirms the presence of carbon, calcium, oxygen, and chloride; FTIR studies of the as-prepared samples showed the characteristic peaks of palmitic acid at 2953 cm−1, 2915 cm−1. The thermal energy storage properties obtained from DSC characterization showed a melting enthalpy of around 80 J/g and a melting temperature of 56 °C, as depicted in Fig. 2. Further TGA characterization exhibited good thermal stability of the prepared sample. In summary, based on the characterization results, the as-prepared sample is a promising candidate for thermal management and energy storage applications.