Executive Summary : | To tackle the current and future energy challenges in buildings, the development of low cost energy storage alternatives become imminently important. In the spectrum of cement-based construction materials for buildings, it was observed that these materials are largely affected by stresses, efflorescence and spalling defects, alkali-silica reactions, crack formation etc., leading towards both structural and functional distresses. In addition, the infiltration of heat and moisture from outside ambient to the building spaces would also pose serious challenges related to thermal comfort, regulating indoor temperature and energy consumption in buildings. There exists a huge scope for achieving good thermal comfort and enhanced energy savings in buildings through the research and development on the construction materials. From this perspective, through this collaborative research, for the very first time, a novel cost effective biopolymer incorporated phase change nanocomposite fibre–based smart building material (SBM), that integrates the ability to achieve indoor thermal comfort and high energy storage capability will be developed. The new cost effective smart building material (SBM) is expected to have the following major promising functionalities: ● Coating of the polydopamine (PDA - biopolymer) over the surface of the polymeric foam (supporting matrix) containing the paraffin PCM embedded with nanocomposite particles is one of the novel concepts of this research project. ● Because, the PDA coating essentially helps in the enhanced conversion of the solar heat and solar photo energy into localized thermal energy source for the PCM to undergo very effective thermal energy storage (melting and freezing) processes. ● Incorporation of the nanocomposite particles into the PCM for improved thermal properties, shape stabilizing the nano-based PCM from leakage issues along with the PDA coating and further making them into micro/nanofibers are also the novel concepts of this proposed collaborative research project. ● The aforementioned new ideas will definitely result in accomplishing tuneable, adaptable and enhanced “thermal comfort, energy storage properties and shape memory attributes” for the SBM. ● It will store the incident solar heat energy rapidly and largely because of the high latent heat of fusion (≈180 kJ/kg to 200 kJ/kg after shape stabilization), high specific heat capacity and the encapsulation efficiency of about 95 % to 99 %. ● It can convert the solar radiation (light energy) into useful thermal energy with an energy conversion efficiency of about 80 % to 85 %. ● The SBM will certainly enhance the durability of the building structures through its shape memory features in controlling the shrinkage cracks, in particular. |
Co-PI: | Prof. V Vinayaka Ram, Birla Institute Of Technology & Science Pilani (BITS), Hyderabad Campus, Telangana-500078, Dr. Maheswaran S, CSIR- Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai,Tamil Nadu-600113, Dr. S Sundar Kumar, CSIR- Structural Engineering Research Centre, Chennai,Tamil Nadu-600113 |