Synergistic Enhancement of LiNO3-NaNO3-KNO3-NaNO2 Thermophysical Properties Through Dual Nano-Additives: SiO2 and MgO

LiNO₃-NaNO₃-KNO₃-NaNO₂ has a relatively low phase-change temperature, making it suitable for low-temperature heat utilization systems. This study focuses on the performance optimization of the quaternary molten salt to advance its applicability. A series of nanocomposites consisting of nano-SiO₂/MgO and the quaternary salt are prepared. Core thermophysical properties, including phase transition behaviors and thermal transport parameters, are quantified. The incorporation of nano-SiO₂/MgO induces moderate adjustments to the melting point and latent heat yet demonstrates an obvious enhancement in specific heat capacity. Optimal doping at 0.7 wt.% SiO₂ and 0.3 wt.% MgO yields a molten-state specific heat of 1.51 J/(g·K), representing a 6% increase over the undoped base salt (1.42 J/(g·K)). By combining the thermal diffusivity properties of the samples, this study found that the doping of nanoparticles typically induces new structures in molten salts that tend to enhance the specific heat capacity while simultaneously reducing thermal diffusivity.