Phase change microcapsules modified by thermal conductivity reinforced materials for enhanced thermal energy storage

Abstract

The low thermal conductivity of wall and core materials is a limitation to the phase change microcapsules prepared with n-octadecane/cellulose nanofibres (CNF)/melamine-formaldehyde resin (MF). To enhance the thermal conductivity of these microcapsules, three different highly conductive materials, including alumina nanoparticles (Al2O3), silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC) and graphene nanosheets (GNP), were used for modification. The effects of the content of high thermal conductivity nanomaterials in microcapsules on their microforms, thermal storage properties and thermal conductivity were investigated. The results demonstrated that, compared with non-modified microcapsules, the nanoparticle-modified phase change microcapsules exhibited a more uniform morphology, a greater degree of dispersion, an enhanced latent heat of phase change and an increased encapsulation rate.