Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Production and Testing of Moisture Behavior and Thermal Properties of Rapeseed Straw and Ganoderma resinaceum Mycelium Bio-Composites
Published on: September 5, 2025
Development of Composite PCMs by Incorporation of Paraffin into Various Building Materials
Shazim Ali Memon1,2, Wenyu Liao3, Shuqing Yang4
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Durability for Marine Civil Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China. shazimalimemon@gmail.com.
Abstract:
In this research, we focused on the development of composite phase-change materials (CPCMs) by incorporation of a paraffin through vacuum impregnation in widely used building materials (Kaolin and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS)). The composite PCMs were characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. Moreover, thermal performance of cement paste composite PCM panels was evaluated using a self-designed heating system. Test results showed that the maximum percentage of paraffin retained by Kaolin and GGBS was found to be 18% and 9%, respectively. FT-IR results show that CPCMs are chemically compatible. The phase-change temperatures of CPCMs were in the human comfort zone, and they possessed considerable latent-heat storage capacity. TGA results showed that CPCMs are thermally stable, and they did not show any sign of degradation below 150 °C. From thermal cycling tests, it was revealed that the CPCMs are thermally reliable. Thermal performance tests showed that in comparison to the control room model, the room models prepared with CPCMs reduced both the temperature fluctuations and maximum indoor center temperature. Therefore, the prepared CPCMs have some potential in reducing peak loads in buildings when applied to building facade.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Changes
A substance melts or freezes at a temperature called its melting point and boils or condenses at its boiling point. These temperatures depend on pressure. High pressure favors the denser form of the substance, so typically, high pressure...
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation
States of Matter and Phase Changes
Thermal Insulation in Masonry Walls
External insulation can be applied using an Exterior Insulation and Finish System (EIFS), which involves affixing panels of plastic foam to the wall and covering them with a polymeric stucco reinforced with glass fiber mesh....
Phase Transitions
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition

