ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Chemically modified phase change materials with CNT, MgO, and silica aerogel for improved PV panel heat dissipation

T. Sathish and R. Saravanan

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, SIMATS, Chennai, India

E-mail: sathisht.sse@saveetha.com

Received: 3 December 2025  Accepted: 21 January 2026

Abstract:

Photovoltaic (PV) panels experience a significant decline in efficiency as their operating temperature increases, making thermal management essential for maintaining stable solar power output. To overcome the limitations of conventional phase change materials (PCMs) used for PV cooling, this experimental study investigated four different system configurations. Category 1 served as the reference case with a conventional PV panel without PCM. Category 2 incorporated paraffin jelly mixed with magnesium oxide, Category 3 used paraffin jelly combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and Category 4 employed paraffin jelly with silica aerogel. All configurations were experimentally evaluated under real outdoor conditions to assess their impact on surface temperature reduction, electrical performance, and heat transfer characteristics. Among all tested systems, the CNT-enhanced PCM (Category 3) showed the best overall performance. It reduced the maximum panel temperature from 58 °C to 47 °C, increased electrical power output from 27.85 W to 37.52 W, and improved the average electrical efficiency to 15.92% compared to 11.8% during peak solar hours. The CNT-based PCM also outperformed the MgO-based PCM (10.16%) and the silica aerogel-based PCM (11.86%) in terms of average electrical efficiency. This superior performance is attributed to the high thermal conductivity and effective heat absorption capability of carbon nanotubes, which enhances cooling and reduces thermal stress on the PV panel. Overall, paraffin jelly reinforced with carbon nanotubes proved to be the most effective solution for improving PV performance and maintaining higher power output.

Keywords: Phase change materials; Clean energy, sustainable; Efficiency

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04691-y

Chemical Papers 80 (4) 4283–4296 (2026)