TY - JOUR
T1 - Sustainable thermal energy storage system based on green-delignified corn husk-phase change composite
AU - Mehmood, Saqib
AU - Wang, Jianquan
AU - Yin, Lifu
AU - Lin, Chengwei
AU - Mustafa, Kamal
AU - Mahmood, Hamayoun
AU - Li, Yuchuan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
PY - 2026/12/1
Y1 - 2026/12/1
N2 - The growing demand for thermal energy and dependence on fossil fuels highlight the need for efficient and sustainable thermal energy storage (TES) systems. In this study, raw corn husk (RCH) was converted into a porous delignified corn husk (DCH) substrate via a green treatment, providing a suitable scaffold for phase change material integration. Polyethylene glycol (PEG1000) was successfully impregnated into the DCH through vacuum infiltration at 70 °C, forming a shape-stable composite (DCH-PCM). To enhance energy storage performance, the composite surface was coated with a carbon nanotubes/cellulose nanofibers (CNTs-CNFs) layer, thereby improving solar absorption and preventing leakage during phase transitions. The resulting DCH-PCM exhibited high solar absorbance (95%), a latent heat of 95.6 J g−1, and excellent thermal reliability, enabling efficient absorption, storage, and release of thermal energy. These characteristics demonstrate the strong potential of the developed composite for solar-driven TES applications, particularly in thermal management and energy-saving systems. Additionally, this work offers a sustainable approach for converting agricultural waste into high-performance energy storage materials, supporting renewable energy utilization and environmental sustainability.
AB - The growing demand for thermal energy and dependence on fossil fuels highlight the need for efficient and sustainable thermal energy storage (TES) systems. In this study, raw corn husk (RCH) was converted into a porous delignified corn husk (DCH) substrate via a green treatment, providing a suitable scaffold for phase change material integration. Polyethylene glycol (PEG1000) was successfully impregnated into the DCH through vacuum infiltration at 70 °C, forming a shape-stable composite (DCH-PCM). To enhance energy storage performance, the composite surface was coated with a carbon nanotubes/cellulose nanofibers (CNTs-CNFs) layer, thereby improving solar absorption and preventing leakage during phase transitions. The resulting DCH-PCM exhibited high solar absorbance (95%), a latent heat of 95.6 J g−1, and excellent thermal reliability, enabling efficient absorption, storage, and release of thermal energy. These characteristics demonstrate the strong potential of the developed composite for solar-driven TES applications, particularly in thermal management and energy-saving systems. Additionally, this work offers a sustainable approach for converting agricultural waste into high-performance energy storage materials, supporting renewable energy utilization and environmental sustainability.
KW - Phase change material
KW - Sustainable materials
KW - Thermal energy storage
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105047838969
U2 - 10.1016/j.est.2026.124327
DO - 10.1016/j.est.2026.124327
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105047838969
SN - 2352-152X
VL - 180
JO - Journal of Energy Storage
JF - Journal of Energy Storage
M1 - 124327
ER -