Title:
Phase-Change Material for Enhancing Frost Resistance of Cementitious Materials
Author(s):
Zhiyong Liu, Jinyang Jiang, Yang Li, Yuncheng Wang, Xi Jin, and Zeyu Lu
Publication:
Materials Journal
Volume:
122
Issue:
4
Appears on pages(s):
67-76
Keywords:
capsule phase-change material (CPCM); cement-based materials; expanded graphite; frost resistance; n-tetradecane
DOI:
10.14359/51746807
Date:
7/1/2025
Abstract:
A capsule phase-change material (CPCM) was synthesizedusing n-tetradecane as the core, expanded graphite as the shell,and ethyl cellulose as the coating material through a controlledassembly process. The results demonstrate that the infiltration ofn-tetradecane significantly enhances the density of the expandedgraphite, while the ethyl cellulose coating effectively preventsthe desorption and leakage of the liquid phase-change materialduring phase transitions. As a result, the CPCM exhibits a compactstructure, chemical stability, and excellent thermal stability. Theincorporation of this CPCM into cement-based materials endowsthe material with an autonomous heat-release capability attemperatures below 5°C. When the CPCM content reaches 20%,the thermal conductivity of the cementitious matrix increases by24.66%. Moreover, the CPCM significantly improves the freezing- and-thawing resistance of the cement-based materials, reducingthe compressive strength loss by 96% and the flexural strengthloss by 65% after freezing-and-thawing cycles. This CPCM fundamentally enhances the frost resistance of cement-based materials, addressing the issue of freezing-and-thawing damage in concrete structures in cold regions.