The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project stems from introducing agricultural-based phase change materials (PCMs) tailored through a bottom-up approach for transforming the strength, durability, and energy efficiency of concrete structures. Considering the volume of concrete used for civil infrastructure applications every year, development of a multifunctional, low-cost, energy-efficient concrete will have a significant impact on transforming the sustainability of the built environment in the United States and potentially worldwide. Since the proposed PCMs will be produced with organic, bio-based polymers, new business and market opportunities are anticipated to be created, especially in the states with a strong agricultural basis. This will not only offer a viable alternative to the current petroleum-based, paraffinic PCMs, but will also have a meaningful contribution to improving the social and economic well-being of communities in both urban and rural areas.
This I-Corps project will investigate the market potential of concrete materials transformed with (1) agricultural-based PCMs tailored to deliver a high capacity for energy storage and (2) porous lightweight aggregates selected to act as a container for PCMs. One of the distinct features of the proposed PCMs is an adjustable melting temperature, which helps target a range of comfort temperatures and climate zones. Further to performance considerations, the encapsulation method to incorporate PCMs into building envelope components will be one of the main focuses of this project. A number of macro- and micro-encapsulation methods have been developed to date for the use of PCMs in the building sector. Although the micro-encapsulation methods are proven to deliver an acceptable long-term performance, the estimated cost of them is in the range of 45%-65% of the total cost of the system. Exploiting the porous structure of lightweight aggregates commonly used in concrete is expected to eliminate the need to resort to costly encapsulation methods, while contributing to the rapidity and flexibility of construction, depending on customer-specific needs and preferences.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
