Stability Study of Erythritol as Phase Change Material for Medium Temperature Thermal Applications

Sugar alcohols belong to a promising category of organic phase change materials (PCM) because of their high latent heat and density compared to other PCM. However, some sugar alcohols have shown latent heat degradation when heated above their melting temperature. Most of the available studies report the structural changes of erythritol during cycling rather than its thermal stability at constant temperature. This study aimed to assess the effect of thermal treatment on erythritol thermal, chemical and physical properties, as well as to find means to enhance its thermal stability. Erythritol and its mixtures with antioxidant were heated and maintained at different temperatures above its melting point. Erythritol was analyzed before and after thermal treatment via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. It was suggested that the degradation of latent heat follows a first order reaction. Mixtures of erythritol with antioxidant had a lower degradation rate compared to pure erythritol under air. Sample browning was observed along the heating treatment of mainly pure erythritol. Antioxidant was found to help to reduce erythritol degradation. No chemical composition changes were detected in samples under argon atmosphere and overall good thermal stability was found throughout the testing period.