Microfluidic Encapsulation of Phase-Change Materials for High Thermal Performance

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Microencapsulation of phase-change materials (PCMs) prevents leakage and enhances heat transfer.
• Current methods lack control over size, structure, and composition, limiting tailored thermal properties of microencapsulated PCMs (MEPCMs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a microfluidic encapsulation method for precisely fabricating MEPCMs with tunable thermal properties.
• To demonstrate versatile fabrication of both organic and inorganic MEPCMs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized droplet-based microfluidics for precise fabrication of MEPCMs.
• Fabricated both organic and inorganic MEPCMs, evaluating their properties.

Main Results:

• Achieved MEPCMs with high monodispersity, energy storage capacity, encapsulation efficiency, thermal stability, and reliability.
• Demonstrated superior heat charging and discharging rates, with inorganic MEPCMs reaching 269.3 J/g energy storage and 294.7 J/(g min) charging rate.
• Successfully applied MEPCMs in anticounterfeit applications due to their thermal performance.

Conclusions:

• Microfluidic encapsulation provides a versatile platform for fabricating MEPCMs with well-tailored thermal properties.
• This technique overcomes limitations of existing methods, enabling precise control for advanced applications.