Characterization of hydration levels of salt hydrate using X-ray computed tomography

Salt hydrates are promising phase change materials (PCMs) for energy storage due to their high enthalpy of fusion and cost-effectiveness. However, they face challenges like segregation. X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is suggested for non-destructive analysis to assess the formation of segregation. But first, the feasibility of using XCT to distinguish between different hydration levels of salt hydrates needs to be investigated. This study compares XCT gray values of anhydrous and salt hydrate samples, particularly sodium acetate (SA) hydrates, to understand the influence of hydration level on XCT images, aiming to assess XCT's suitability for salt hydrate investigation.