Efeitos da incorporação de material de mudança de fase em resíduos de madeiras da Amazônia para armazenamento de energia térmica

Abstract

The search for sustainable and energy-efficient solutions has driven the development of innovative materials for various sectors, including civil construction, urban design, thermal packaging, and energy storage systems. In this context, incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) into natural matrices, such as wood, emerges as a promising strategy for thermal control. PCMs act as latent heat reservoirs, absorbing and releasing energy during phase transitions, which allows for thermal stabilisation of different systems and environments. Wood, in turn, is a renewable resource with a porous structure conducive to impregnating PCMs, as well as having a low carbon footprint and potential for valorising forest residues. In this study, the physical-chemical, mechanical, and anatomical behaviour of wood species with different densities, porosities, and thermal conductivities was investigated after the incorporation of the organic PCM RUBITHERM® RT24 (phase transition temperature of 24°C), impregnated into the samples via a vacuum pump. Two Amazonian species derived from residues of sustainable forest management were used: Parkia spp. (Faveira) and Manilkara spp. (Maçaranduba), aiming to align thermal performance with the valorisation of forest by- products. The results showed that the species with the lower density (0.240 g/cm3), Parkia spp., exhibited a greater capacity to absorb PCM (over 70% of the sample mass), conferring high thermal inertia and delaying temperature variations during the phase transition. The interaction between wood and PCM enabled the development of functional composites with potential to reduce energy consumption in buildings, add value to forest residues, and expand the use of natural materials in thermal efficiency applications.