Nanoencapsulated crystallohydrate mixtures for advanced thermal energy storageElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c7ta02494k

• Main Authors: Graham, Michael, Coca-Clemente, José A, Shchukina, Elena, Shchukin, Dmitry
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/c7ta02494k

Controlled storage of thermal energy, especially in the 'low temperature' region 100 cycles as monitored by differential scanning calorimetry), due to the functional properties of the capsule shell and spatial confinement preventing water loss and incongruent melting during phase transitions. Mixtures of encapsulated crystallohydrates have differing energy uptake/release depending on their inherent design. Additive mixtures (mixtures of energy capsules containing single crystallohydrates) possess separate heat uptake/release transitions at temperatures corresponding to each crystallohydrate type. Latent heat of each transition is proportional to the content of the corresponding energy capsules in the mixture. Nanocapsules containing mixed crystallohydrate core have synergetic effects from Mg(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O and Na 2 SO 4 ·10H 2 O components at their eutectic point: low-temperature phase transition and high latent heat capacity. Chemical composition, integrity and morphology of the capsules were analysed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Nanocapsules containing crystallohydrates and their mixtures were synthesised and proven to be stable over at least 100 cycles.