Development and corrosive sensitivity of sustainable aluminium hybrid reinforced composites for latent heat energy storage systems

The development of corrosion-resistant materials under alkaline environments is envisioned for better sustainable environment. While latent heat energy storage systems (LHES) using alkaline inorganic phase change materials are crucial, corrosion significantly impacts component lifespan, posing challenges to commercialization and reliability. This study develops sustainable aluminium hybrid reinforced composites (AHRC) via 3R principles of waste management strategy and examines their corrosive sensitivity considering the effects of (i) varying concentrations of Tungsten carbide (WC) and Red mud (RMD) reinforcements (ii) exposure to a 0.2 M concentrated aqueous sodium hydroxide, and (iii) process temperatures of RT, 40 and 60 °C. The AHRCs are stir-casted, and designated as AHRC_WR1, AHRC_WR2, and AHRC_WR3. The microstructural and hardness characteristics of the specimens are examined. Tafel, and EIS studies are performed to assess corrosion characteristics of the AHRCs. Dynamic corrosion studies are conducted for 30 days to assess weight loss and layer formed. Moreover, life cycle assessment (LCA) is conducted via “Cradle to Grave” approach. The static and dynamic corrosion study results are merely comparable. The AHRC_WR2 composite exhibiting hardness (61.85 BHN), demonstrates better corrosion resistance, outperforming the base alloy by 81.15 %, 37.75 %, and 42.60 % at room temperature, 40 °C and 60 °C, respectively. The corroded composite specimens form a compact corrosion product layer, enhancing durability. The LCA results emphasize that the produced composite reveals better energy consumption (334.32 MJ/kg) and CO₂ emissions (39.37 kg CO₂/kg). The findings support the development of a sustainable corrosion-resistant composite material for LHES applications in alkaline environments, aligning with SDGs 7, 9, and 12.