Structure and thermal performance of poly(ethylene glycol) alkyl ether (Brij)/porous silica (MCM-41) composites as shape-stabilized phase change materials

A series of shape-stabilized phase change materials (PCMs), composed of poly(ethylene glycol) hexadecyl ether (Brij58) or poly(ethylene glycol) octadecyl ether (Brij76) and porous silica (MCM-41), were prepared by the physical mixing method. The structure, thermal stability, energy storage ability and crystallization behavior of these composites are deeply investigated and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Obvious phase transition behavior and energy storage capability are observed for these Brij/MCM-41 composites, and the heat storage efficiency increased with the weight of Brij component. New peak at 18.8° demonstrated that the pore size and the surface adsorption ability of MCM-41 affect the crystallization behavior of Brij molecule. The crystalline structure and energy storage ability of these Brij/MCM-41 composites are discussed based on the crystallization process.