PSI - Issue 70

R. Greesan et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 70 (2025) 666–673

669

completed with the prepared specimens as per the measurements specified in IS 516 -1959. And the process of curing was done for 7 and 14 days to examine the initial strength and 28days curing may followed for the final strength determination with the specifications mentioned in IS 9013-1978. 3. Results & Discussion 3.1. Morphology & Elemental Examination (SEM) Figure 1 (a – d) illustrates the microstructure of the Ceno PCM matrix under varying magnifications of 250x, 500x, and 1000x, emphasizing structural variations at different levels. The SEM images clearly reveal that the typical spherical form was transformed in the synthesized sample.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Agglomerated Ceno PCM

Fig. 1. SEM images of Ceno PCM The microstructure image clearly reveals the porous characteristics of the Ceno PCM. Its surface contains micropores and internal voids that readily absorb the liquid PCM. During the impregnation process, noticeable changes in morphology occur as PCM molecules occupy these pores and gaps. The absorption is aided by hydrogen bonding, along with capillary action and surface tension, which not only support PCM infiltration but also improve the composite’s mechanical and structural strength. Similar observations have been made in other clay/PCM composites, as reported by Ahmet Sarı et al. (2019).