Assessment of shape-stable Arabic gum/ethyl stearate composite PCM in production of thermal enhanced concrete for energy effective buildings

Latent heat storage techniques, mainly phase change materials (PCMs), are essential for improving the use of energy in buildings by effectively storing surplus thermal energy and discharging it as required, thus decreasing demand for energy and promoting environmentally friendly practices. Nonetheless, issues like as PCM leakage and weak interfacial connection have hampered their broad adoption. Therefore, the present investigation introduces an exciting technique by incorporating shape-stable PCM (SSPCM) within concrete, employing a unique blend of biodegradable and sustainable resources for energy-saving construction designs. The SSPCM was evaluated for its physico-chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics by mixing Arabic gum (AG) with Ethyl stearate (ES) in different proportions. The optimal ES ratio within AG was 25 wt% with no leakage observed. The phase change of optimal AG/ES SSPCM occurs at 28.9 °C with an enthalpy of 61.6 J/g (endothermic) and 59.8 J/g (exothermic). Also, following 500 consecutive thermal cycles, the newly created AG/ES SSPCM demonstrated outstanding chemical and thermal stability. The AG/ES addition resulted in a notable decrease in the thermophysical properties of concrete due to the low load-bearing, low density and reduced heat transfer rate of SSPCM. Yet, AGCON-100 possess sufficient compressive strength for use as an insulation concrete. On the other hand, because of the AG/ES's capacity to absorb and store heat, the thermoregulation tests showed that AGCON-100 with AG/ES SSPCM maintained lower temperatures (−2.6 °C) during warm times and higher temperatures (0.5 °C) during cold periods. These outcomes underscore the capacity of AG/ES SSPCM to improve temperature control and diminish the ecological effect in structures, thus contributing to the achievement of sustainable development goals.