Membrane-encapsulated salt hydrate:An anti-agglomeration approach to enhance cyclability

Heat has a crucial effect on the general energy consumption in the world. Hence, the need for an environmentally<br/>friendly and energy-efficient substitute is on the rise as far as reducing carbon footprints is concerned, where<br/>thermochemical materials (TCM) can be a viable option. Potassium carbonate (K2CO3) has shown the most promising<br/>characteristics for seasonal heat storage due to its high energy density, cost-effectiveness, and reaction safety.<br/>However, due to the accruing of salt crystal clumping after a few hydration/dehydration cycles, the operational life<br/>cycle of K2CO3 is challenged with diminished energy density and kinetics of hydration. In the present study, to<br/>mitigate this challenge, a new encapsulation strategy based on membrane science is used to address both<br/>agglomeration mitigation and preservation of crystal integrity without limiting the water vapour diffusion inside the<br/>crystal by employing a separative polymeric layer. This research introduced the encapsulation process along with<br/>suitable crystal morphology with a focus on optimal pore structure and hydration kinetics as a mechanism for<br/>optimizing the efficiency of transport of water vapour. The key results of this research provide a cheap and easy-to-implement<br/>method to prevent agglomeration while preserving the cyclic performance characteristics of salt hydrates<br/>for heat battery application.