Light-transmitting wood-based composite comprising microencapsulated phase-change material for sustainable energy applications in buildings

Abstract

The study explored an innovative building material that provides both lighting energy savings and thermal comfort by integrating microencapsulated phase change material (mu PCM) into light-transmissive wood-based composite material. The wood-based composite comprises epoxy resin (Er), wood chips (Wc), fibre (Gf), various mu PCM concentrations, and plastic optical grids to transmit light through the plate. The highest thermal conductivity, 0.21 W/mK, was observed for mu PCM0 samples. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis presented that a composite containing 100 wt% mu PCM has a melting temperature of 25 degrees C and a latent heat storage of 35.0 J/g. mu PCM100 offered a lower surface temperature approximately 6 degrees C colder when the hot weather hours were taken into account. The wood composites with mu PCM contributed to maintaining lower peak room temperatures and extended temperature stability overnight. While 1.923 km/s UPV was obtained in mu PCM0 samples, the UPV value after 100% mu PCM addition compared to the weight of the old was 1.845 km/s. Compared to the mu PCM0 samples, the Er mu PCMWc samples had a light transmittance rate of almost 64% greater. The study's findings could improve artificial lighting efficiency, significantly lessening indoor temperature fluctuations, enhancing thermal comfort and promoting sustainable building solutions.