N.K. Noran, A.K. Pandey, Jeyraj Selvaraj, Norridah Amin, B. Kalidasan
Thermal energy storage utilising phase change materials (PCM)s have gain great attention from their enthalpy ability to store energy and improve the system thermal performance and sustainability. PCMs alone may struggle to provide the desired level of thermal conductivity for efficient heat transfer. Enhancing PCMs thermal properties with bio-based fillers facilitate effective thermal energy storage (TES) solution for renewable energy systems. Herewith, economical and environmentally friendly three-dimensional carbon longan shell (CLS) is synthesized through tube furnace at 700 °C and further refine to micro size using wet ball milling. Subsequently, CLS are dispersed in RT44HC paraffin using a sonication method, resulting in an advanced biochar PCM/CLS composite that enhances its thermal and optical properties. The characterizations further assess morphology, chemical stability, optical properties, thermal conductivity, latent heat, thermal stability and reliability to ensure the effectiveness of PCM/CLS composites. The three-dimensional CLS biochar exhibits large area to volume ratio which generates more interfaces for heat conduction. Remarkable results with the incorporation of 1.0 % weight fraction of CLS biochar; exhibits 89 % increase in thermal conductivity rising from 0.214 W/(m⋅K) to 0.404 W/(m⋅K). Furthermore, the enthalpy of energy storage rose from 231.25 J/g to 268.75 J/g. The optical absorbance of the composite exhibits significant enhancement of 4.77 in comparison to the base PCM. Outstandingly after 500 thermals cycles, CLS composite samples demonstrate high thermal stability with very minimum changes in latent heat and optical absorbance. Therefore, this study lays groundwork for the advanced and wider implementation of biochar filler derived from agricultural waste in energy storage applications, adhering to aimed at tackling energy issues and advancing circular economy methodologies. © 2025
Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), UM Power Energy Dedicated Advanced Centre (UMPEDAC), Level 4, Wisma R&D, Universiti Malaya, Jalan Pantai Baharu, Kuala Lumpur, 59990, Malaysia; Research Centre for Nano-Materials and Energy Technology (RCNMET), Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Sunway University, No. 5, Jalan Universiti, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Malaysia; CoE for Energy and Eco-Sustainability Research, Uttaranchal Institute of Technology, Uttaranchal University, Dehradun, India; Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri, Padang, Indonesia; Material Science, Innovation and Modelling (MaSIM) Research Focus Area, North-West University, Mahikeng Campus, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, 2745, South Africa
