Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Effect of Salt-Impregnation on Thermochemical Properties of a Metakaolin Geopolymer Composite for Thermal Energy Storage

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
International RILEM Conference on Synergising Expertise towards Sustainability and Robustness of Cement-based Materials and Concrete Structures (SynerCrete 2023)

Part of the book series: RILEM Bookseries ((RILEM,volume 43))

  • 1197 Accesses

Abstract

Effective and efficient recovery, storage, and reuse of heat, together with renewable energy, play an indispensable role in decarbonising the built environment. Thermochemical energy storage materials possess the highest volumetric energy density compared to latent and sensible heat storage materials under similar conditions. However, conventional thermochemical energy storage materials face several challenges including high cost, low sustainability, and limited heating power. Alkali-activated metakaolin (geopolymer) containing alkali aluminosilicate hydrates (N-A-S-H) has been shown to have a considerable thermochemical heat storage capacity at medium temperatures (below 400 ℃) but is less efficient at low-temperatures (<200 ℃). Here we investigated a salt impregnation method to form geopolymer composites for improving their thermochemical heat storage capacity at low charging temperature. More specifically, the effect of CaCl2-impregnation on the composition of the composites was examined with X-Ray Diffractometry and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The dehydration enthalpy and volumetric energy density of the composites were assessed with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), while dynamic water sorption (DVS) was used to study their water cyclic water sorption capacity. It was shown that short-time salt-impregnation can improve the heat storage capacity of the geopolymers, while a prolonged exposure to the salt solution can have adverse effects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kaufmann, J., Winnefeld, F.: Seasonal heat storage in calcium sulfoaluminate based hardened cement pastes – experiences with different prototypes. J. Energy Storage 25, 100850 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Tatsidjodoung, P., Le Pierrès, N., Luo, L.: A review of potential materials for thermal energy storage in building applications. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 18, 327–349 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. André, L., Abanades, S., Flamant, G.: Screening of thermochemical systems based on solid-gas reversible reactions for high temperature solar thermal energy storage. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 64, 703–715 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhao, Q., et al.: Optimization of thermochemical energy storage systems based on hydrated salts: a review. Energy Build. 244, 111035 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cot-Gores, J., Castell, A., Cabeza, L.F.: Thermochemical energy storage and conversion: a-state-of-the-art review of the experimental research under practical conditions. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 16(7), 5207–5224 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Humphries, T.D., et al.: Dolomite: a low cost thermochemical energy storage material. J. Mater. Chem. A 7(3), 1206–1215 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Wang, K., et al.: A review for Ca(OH)2/CaO thermochemical energy storage systems. J. Energy Storage 50, 104612 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Yang, Y., et al.: Thermochemical heat storage and optical properties of red mud/Mn co-doped high alumina cement-stabilized carbide slag in CaO/CaCO3 cycles. Fuel Process. Technol. 236, 107419 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Johannes, K., et al.: Design and characterisation of a high powered energy dense zeolite thermal energy storage system for buildings. Appl. Energy 159, 80–86 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ndiaye, K., Ginestet, S., Cyr, M.: Experimental evaluation of two low temperature energy storage prototypes based on innovative cementitious material. Appl. Energy 217, 47–55 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Chen, B., et al.: Investigation on ettringite as a low-cost high-density thermochemical heat storage material: thermodynamics and kinetics. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 221, 110877 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Alonso, M.C., et al.: Calcium aluminate based cement for concrete to be used as thermal energy storage in solar thermal electricity plants. Cem. Concr. Res. 82, 74–86 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lavagna, L., et al.: Cementitious composite materials for thermal energy storage applications: a preliminary characterization and theoretical analysis. Sci. Rep. 10(1), 12833 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ke, X., Baki, V.A.: Assessing the suitability of alkali-activated metakaolin geopolymer for thermochemical heat storage. Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 325, 111329 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Bell, J.L., et al.: X-Ray pair distribution function analysis of a metakaolin-based, KAlSi2O6·5.5H2O inorganic polymer (geopolymer). J. Mater. Chem. 18(48), 5974–5981 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gong, W., et al.: Geopolymer concretes for energy storage applications. United States of America (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ke, X., Baki, V.A.: Assessing the suitability of alkali-activated metakaolin geopolymer for thermochemical heat storage. Microporous Mesoporous Mater. 325, 111329 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Xueling, Z., et al.: Heat storage performance analysis of ZMS-Porous media/CaCl2/MgSO4 composite thermochemical heat storage materials. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 230, 111246 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Walsh, S., et al.: Assessing the dynamic performance of thermochemical storage materials. Energies 13 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3390/en13092202

  20. Medri, V., et al.: Metakaolin-based geopolymer beads: production methods and characterization. J. Clean. Prod. 244, 118844 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Papa, E., et al.: Geopolymer-hydrotalcite hybrid beads by ionotropic gelation. Appl. Clay Sci. 215, 106326 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Walkley, B., et al.: Thermodynamic properties of sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N–A–S–H). Dalton Trans. 50(39), 13968–13984 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Olvianas, M., Widiyatmoko, A., Petrus, H.T.B.M.: IR spectral similarity studies of geothermal silica-bentonite based geopolymer. AIP Conf. Proc. 1887(1), 020015 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Jaya, N.A., et al.: Correlation between pore structure, compressive strength and thermal conductivity of porous metakaolin geopolymer. Constr. Build. Mater. 247, 118641 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ndiaye, K., Cyr, M., Ginestet, S.: Development of a cementitious material for thermal energy storage at low temperature. Constr. Build. Mater. 242, 118130 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This research was funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through Grant EP/W010828/1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK

    Lorena Skevi & Xinyuan Ke

  2. SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre, Swansea University, Swansea, UK

    Jonathon Elvins

  3. Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Yulong Ding

Authors
  1. Lorena Skevi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xinyuan Ke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jonathon Elvins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yulong Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorena Skevi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Structural Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland

    Agnieszka Jędrzejewska

  2. Technical Specialist Services, Materials, ARUP, London, UK

    Fragkoulis Kanavaris

  3. ISISE, University of Minho, Guimaraes, Portugal

    Miguel Azenha

  4. Laboratoire de Mécanique Paris-Saclay, ENS Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Farid Benboudjema

  5. Institute of Structural Concrete, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria

    Dirk Schlicke

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Skevi, L., Ke, X., Elvins, J., Ding, Y. (2023). The Effect of Salt-Impregnation on Thermochemical Properties of a Metakaolin Geopolymer Composite for Thermal Energy Storage. In: Jędrzejewska, A., Kanavaris, F., Azenha, M., Benboudjema, F., Schlicke, D. (eds) International RILEM Conference on Synergising Expertise towards Sustainability and Robustness of Cement-based Materials and Concrete Structures. SynerCrete 2023. RILEM Bookseries, vol 43. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33211-1_110

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33211-1_110

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-33210-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-33211-1

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation