Thermal energy storage characterization of cementitious composites made with recycled brick aggregates containing PCM

This paper reports the results of an experimental program on sustainable cementitious composites made with Recycled Brick Aggregates (RBAs) employed as carriers for Phase-Change Materials (PCMs). The PCM-RBAs were produced by following an advanced incorporation and immobilization technique, developed and patented at the Institut für Werkstoffe im Bauwesen – TU Darmstadt. Spherical mortar samples made of plain cement paste plus porous RBAs, filled with liquid paraffinic wax, were used for monitoring the thermal behavior of various combinations of PCM-RBAs. The experimental campaign also comprised mechanical tests aimed at observing the effect of PCM in the RBAs, on the resulting mortar strengths under both compression and bending. Promising results have been obtained for the RBA mortars, showing a high thermal energy storage capacity at an almost negligible and acceptable strength loss due to PCM addition. Fil: Mankel, Christoph. Universitat Technische Darmstadt; Alemania Fil: Caggiano, Antonio. Universitat Technische Darmstadt; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería "Hilario Fernández Long". Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería "Hilario Fernández Long"; Argentina