Fabrication of PMMA-SiO2Transparent Nanocomposite Films as Energy Storage Barriers

In the present study, sol-gel synthesized silica shell is selected to encapsulate Na2SO4 center dot 10H(2)O as the phase change agent with a 30 degrees C phase change temperature. In the next step, the produced nanocomposites are dispersed in poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a transparent polymer to produce films that can be considered as an alternative for transparent barriers like glass windows. Thermal analysis indicates that the synthesized nanocomposites show an efficient thermal energy storage capacity, which is also preserved through several thermal cycles. Based on the results, the as-prepared phase change material with a 40% encapsulation ratio and 96.29 J/g and 83.03 heating and cooling enthalpies and 32 degrees C and 10 degrees C phase change temperatures for heating and cooling, respectively and also no phase separation can be considered as a promising material for inclusion in transparent polymeric matrices as an alternative for glass windows.