Fabrication of Polyethylene Glycol Composite Films Reinforced with Corn Husk-Derived Cellulose Nanocrystals (PEG-CNC) for Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials (SSPCMs)

Corn husks, containing 50-55% cellulose, offer a sustainable source of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with high thermal stability, tensile strength, and biocompatibility, making them ideal for reinforcing Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials (SSPCMs). In this study, CNCs were extracted from corn husks and integrated into polyethylene glycol (PEG) composite films to enhance their thermal and structural properties. The extraction process, verified through functional group analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction, involved alkali treatment and bleaching. CNC-PEG composite films with varying CNC concentrations (0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight) were fabricated via solvent casting and analyzed using TGA and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC revealed exothermic and endothermic peaks indicating crystallization and glass transition, with CNC addition increasing the melting temperature (T m ) by 2.4°C at 2.5% CNC loading. While CNC slightly lowered the decomposition temperature, the improved thermal properties, particularly at 2.5% CNC, show great potential for enhancing the stability and performance of SSPCMs, making them more efficient for thermal energy storage applications.