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Bio-Based Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Development
Mehdi Zadshir1,2, Byung-Wook Kim1, Huiming Yin1
1Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Columbia University, 500 W 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 16, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed a sustainable method to create bio-based phase change materials (bio-PCMs) from bacon fat. These materials offer eco-friendly thermal energy storage, supporting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Sustainable Chemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Growing global population increases energy and food demands, exacerbating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Passive thermal storage using phase change materials (PCMs) is vital for energy efficiency and mitigating GHG emissions.
- Bio-based PCMs (bio-PCMs) from renewable sources offer sustainable alternatives to conventional paraffin-based PCMs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of bio-PCMs derived from animal fats and plant oils.
- To address challenges in developing bio-PCMs with suitable phase change properties.
- To propose a comprehensive process for converting bacon fat into functional bio-PCMs.
Main Methods:
- Extraction of lipids from bacon fat.
- Hydrolysis to break down fat molecules.
- Post-synthesis modifications including esterification, UV-crosslinking, and crystallization to tune phase change properties.
Main Results:
- Bacon fat was successfully converted into bio-PCMs with advantageous properties like non-toxicity, availability, and cost-effectiveness.
- Esterification decreased transition temperatures while slightly improving latent heat.
- UV-crosslinking and crystallization enhanced both phase transition temperature and latent heat.
Conclusions:
- Bio-PCMs from bacon fat present a viable, sustainable option for thermal energy storage.
- The proposed synthesis process allows for tailored phase change properties.
- Future research should focus on cost-effective large-scale manufacturing, process optimization, and simultaneous enhancement of thermal conductivity and latent heat capacity.
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