Synthesis and thermal performance of stearic acid esters as phase change materials: An optimization study
Due to growing energy shortages and environmental concerns, phase change materials (PCMs) have gained significant attention for their ability to enhance thermal energy utilization efficiency. However, traditionally used PCMs exhibit phase change temperatures that are too high for practical use. To o...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Results in Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025013623 |
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| Summary: | Due to growing energy shortages and environmental concerns, phase change materials (PCMs) have gained significant attention for their ability to enhance thermal energy utilization efficiency. However, traditionally used PCMs exhibit phase change temperatures that are too high for practical use. To overcome this limitation, this study explores the use of esters—specifically methyl stearate and ethyl stearate—as alternative PCMs. These esters were synthesized via the esterification of stearic acid with methanol and ethanol, respectively. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to investigate the effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, alcohol-to-stearic acid molar ratio, and catalyst loading on product yield and to optimize the esterification conditions. The key influencing factors were found to be the alcohol to stearic acid molar ratio and catalyst loading. Optimal conditions for methyl stearate production (92.67 % yield) were found to be 90 °C, 5.91 hours, a 20:1 methanol to stearic acid molar ratio, and 4 wt.% catalyst loading. For ethyl stearate, a maximum yield of 98.65 % was achieved at 60 °C for 5 hours, with a 20:1 ethanol to stearic acid molar ratio and 5 wt.% catalyst loading. Thermal analysis revealed that both esters possess desirable properties for PCM applications, including high enthalpy and thermal stability. The findings further suggest that the thermal behavior of the esters is governed more by their crystal structure than by molecular mass. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-1230 |