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Published on: January 14, 2020
Synthesis and characterization of microencapsulated phase change materials with chitosan-based polyurethane shell
Yan Gao1, Xiaoye Geng1, Xiaojuan Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Fibers and Energy Storage, School of Material Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China.
This study developed green chitosan-based polyurethane microencapsulated phase change materials (MicroPCMs) with excellent thermal performance. These novel MicroPCMs show potential for anti-counterfeiting and UV protective clothing applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Green Chemistry
Background:
- Phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for thermal energy storage.
- Traditional PCMs often face challenges like leakage and poor thermal stability.
- Developing eco-friendly encapsulation methods for PCMs is an active research area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare novel chitosan-based polyurethane (c-PU) microencapsulated phase change materials (MicroPCMs).
- To investigate the influence of reaction parameters on MicroPCMs morphology.
- To evaluate the thermal performance, stability, and potential applications of the developed MicroPCMs.
Main Methods:
- Interfacial polymerization of hexamethylene diisocyanate and chitosan.
- Charge attraction-assisted preparation technique.
- Systematic investigation of reaction ratio, surfactant, and pH on morphology.
- Characterization of thermal properties (latent heat, energy storage efficiency), thermal stability, and cyclic durability.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized c-PU MicroPCMs with a green chitosan shell.
- Optimized reaction conditions led to desirable MicroPCMs morphology.
- Achieved excellent latent thermal performance (ΔHm = 106.3 J/g, ΔHc = -105.1 J/g) and high energy storage efficiency (71.4%).
- Demonstrated outstanding thermal stability and cyclic durability.
- Exhibited reversible photochromic properties.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan-based polyurethane MicroPCMs offer a green and effective approach for phase change material encapsulation.
- The developed MicroPCMs possess superior thermal energy storage capabilities and stability.
- The unique photochromic property opens avenues for applications in anti-counterfeiting and UV protective textiles.
