Nanoencapsulations of paraffin wax by miniemulsion polymerization and their thermal properties as phase change materials

Abstract

Encapsulation of a paraffin wax core as a phase change material with polystyrene shell and the its thermal characteristics caused by the encapsulation were studied. For the nanoencapsulation, the miniemulsion polymerization method was selected. The factors affecting the thermal properties of prepared nanocapsule particles of phase change material were analysed in aspect of the structure of crosslinking agents, amounts of surfactant, ratio of paraffin wax to monomer, and hydrophilicity of initiators. It was assumed that Oswald ripening plays the most important role in the changes of particle size, particle morphology, and thermal capacity of nanocapsule core. It was elucidated that the thermal capacity was also dependent on the hydrophilicity and crosslinking density of polystyrene shell components.