ABSTRACT
This chapter considers processes of melting/solidification of salt hydrates and solution confined to the pores of various meso- and microporous matrices. The main method of synthesizing composites “salt in porous matrix” (CSPM) is impregnation of the host matrix with an aqueous salt solution with subsequent evaporation of water. The physicochemical properties of the salt hydrates and solutions confined to the matrix pores are of great interest for understanding and optimizing the synthesis and performance of CSPMs. The chapter describes the processes of melting and solidification inside the CSPM pores, including solubility diagrams, depression of melting point and solution subcooling. The solution’s confinement to the silica gel pores strongly affects the nucleation process at low temperatures. Possible reasons for this effect may be a considerable disordering of the solution structure in the vicinity of the pore surface or enhancement of the solution viscosity in pores.
