Dehydration performance of a novel solid solution library of mixed Tutton salts as thermochemical heat storage materials

Abstract

To improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy storage technologies are of paramount importance. Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) materials offer high energy storage densities, and systems based on the dehydration of common salt hydrates like MgSO4·7H2O have been extensively investigated, though frequent problems such as agglomeration and unfavorable kinetics highlight the need for further material development. We consulted our VIENNA TCES-database and became aware of the Tutton salts, A2M(XO4)2·6H2O, (X = S or Se) which have also been previously investigated as TCES materials, although the effects of cation substitution on reactivity had remained poorly characterized. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of 41 mixed Tutton salts with the composition K2Zn1-xMx (SO4)2·6H2O (M = Mg, Co, Ni, Cu). Two trends were readily apparent: increasing the amount of nickel leads to a predictable increase in the dehydration onset temperature while preserving the simple form of the single dehydration step observed, while the use of copper leads to a predictable decrease in dehydration onset.