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Synthesis and thermal properties of novel microencapsulated phase-change materials with binary cores and epoxy polymer shells

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Abstract

A series of novel epoxy polymer shell microcapsules with n-tetradecane and dimethylbenzene as binary core materials are successfully synthesized via interfacial polymerization. Dimethylbenzene is used as the solvent for epoxy and n-tetradecane. The chemical structure, surface morphology, and thermal properties of the microencapsulated phase-change materials (micro-PCMs) are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscope. Results show that the micro-PCMs have relatively spherical profiles and smooth surfaces with diameters ranging from 10 to 70 μm. The epoxy shell successfully encapsulates the binary core. Phase-change enthalpy and binary core content in the micro-PCMs increase with the increasing mass ratio of the binary core to the epoxy resin. The micro-PCMs degrade in two steps, and the resulting microcapsules exhibit good thermal stabilities. The degradation temperature decreases, as the core-to-shell mass ratio increases.

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Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2015M572513) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 310821151010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Transportation Road Structure and Materials, Chang’ an University, Xi’an, 710064, China

    Kun Wei, Biao Ma, Hainian Wang, Yu Liu & Yu Luo

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  1. Kun Wei
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  2. Biao Ma
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  3. Hainian Wang
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  4. Yu Liu
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  5. Yu Luo
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Correspondence to Kun Wei.

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Wei, K., Ma, B., Wang, H. et al. Synthesis and thermal properties of novel microencapsulated phase-change materials with binary cores and epoxy polymer shells. Polym. Bull. 74, 359–367 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-016-1718-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-016-1718-z

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