Shape-stabilized hydrated salt/paraffin composite phase change materials for advanced thermal energy storage and management

•Hydrated salt based, shape-stabilized PCMs were fabricated by simple method.•A high transition enthalpy (227.3 J/g) was obtained.•The hybrid materials exhibited excellent thermal stability, low supercooling degree. Thermal energy storage and management have attracted considerable interest in the field of sustainable control and utilization of energy. Thermal energy storage materials with excellent thermal properties and shape stability are in high demand. Herein, we developed a simple and effective method to fabricate hydrated salt / paraffin composite (HPC) shape-stabilized phase change materials (SSPCMs). Hydrated salt was emulsified into paraffin by an inverse emulsion template method to obtain HPC. Owing to its low volatility, paraffin enhanced the thermal stability of the hydrated salt by preventing its direct contact with the environment. Furthermore, after its crystallization, paraffin provided nucleation sites and functioned as a nucleating agent to promote the crystallization of the hydrated salt. The HPC was then simultaneously impregnated into cellulose sponge (CS), forming the SSPCMs, which exhibited excellent thermal stability, high energy storage density with a phase transition enthalpy of 227.3 J/g, and a reduced supercooling degree. Besides, there was negligible leakage during the test. The efficiency of the SSPCMs as temperature management materials was then tested by using them as a lining in a fully enclosed protective clothing.