Composite Phase-Change Material Mold for Cost-Effective Production of Free-Form Concrete Panels

Abstract

Because free-form concrete panels are cast in different shapes depending on the part, the mold to produce these panels must vary by size and shape, making it difficult to reuse the mold. In addition, manufacturing a curve-shaped mold is difficult and requires a lot of labor. To solve this problem, a technology to manufacture molds made of phase-changing materials (PCMs) that can be semipermanently reused to produce various types of curved shapes was developed. However, because of the characteristics of the PCM mold materials, crystallization occurs within the mold, which increases cooling times and causes deformation in the mold due to shrinkage. This paper describe the development of a composite phase-changing material mold for quality production of free-form concrete panels, and this composite is used to solve the problems mentioned previously. The composite PCM mold developed herein does not induce crystallization, which reduces the cooling energy and cooling time by 50% or more, and improves the solidification shrinkage rate to 95% or better. The composite described in this paper will help increase the productivity of free-form concrete members and reduce production costs.