Multi-PCM lime mortars incorporating polymer-shell and form-stable Phase Change Materials for energy-efficient building envelopes
The incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs) into lime mortars has traditionally relied on single-transition systems, limiting thermal efficiency under variable conditions. In contrast, multi-PCM systems remain scarcely investigated, particularly regarding the combined effects of transition te...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | Dadun. Depósito Académico Digital de la Universidad de Navarra |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:dadun_______::332f695aff7404b17303b67708dfa2c2 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10171/124681 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Lime mortar Form-stable PCMs Multi-PCM |
| Sumario: | The incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs) into lime mortars has traditionally relied on single-transition systems, limiting thermal efficiency under variable conditions. In contrast, multi-PCM systems remain scarcely investigated, particularly regarding the combined effects of transition temperatures, encapsulation strategies and material formats.,This study developed multi-PCM lime mortars for energy-efficient building envelopes by combining PCMs with low and high (5–25 °C) or intermediate and high (18–25 °C) transition temperatures. Two PCM families were used: silica-supported form-stable systems and polymer-shell microencapsulated systems supplied as aqueous slurries or dry powders. All mortars incorporated 20 wt.% PCM (10% + 10% relative to lime) while maintaining adequate workability for rendering applications.,Microstructural analysis showed that form-stable PCMs produced more heterogeneous pore structures, whereas microencapsulated systems preserved microstructures similar to PCM-free mortars. Mortars containing metakaolin exhibited enhanced mechanical performance and durability, in some cases surpassing reference formulations.,Thermal activation, evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, revealed broadened phase transitions in form-stable systems due to component interactions, while polymeric microencapsulation preserved distinct transitions and enabled a wider, more controllable activation range. Under dynamic thermal conditions (-10 to 50 °C), all multi-PCM mortars showed significant temperature buffering, with reductions of up to 1.5 °C during heating and 1.1 °C during cooling, and relative energy exchange values up to 8.2 × 105 °C·s/m2.,Environmental and economic assessments indicated that the added carbon footprint and cost of PCM incorporation should be balanced against the effectiveness of matching PCM transition temperatures to climatic conditions. |
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