NEEDLE-BASED MICROFLUIDIC PRODUCTION OF MICROENCAPSULATED PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL FOR THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE

Phase change materials (PCMs) are materials that have the ability to change their physical state (from solid to liquid or vice versa) at constant temperatures. This property allows them to store or release a significant amount of energy during the phase change process. Microcapsule technologies have been widely used to encapsulate PCMs, which broadens its application range and improves the efficiency of energy utilization. Microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCMs) are getting more and more attention in the development of energy field. This study proposes a new method for creating MEPCMs using a needle-based microfluidic device. The MEPCMs have a core of n-hexadecane and a shell made of hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) polymer. The micro-morphology of MEPCMs was studied by scanning electron microscope. The results showed that the MEMCMs have uniform particle size, smooth surface and spherical shape. The coefficient of size variation was within 6%. The ability of the MEPCMs to store thermal energy was examined using differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that the MEPCMs possess excellent phase transition properties and are capable of storing a significant amount of thermal energy. The study involved conducting 80 melting and freezing cycles on the MEPCMs to evaluate their thermal stability. The results revealed that the MEPCMs' shell provided effective shielding for the PCM material. These desirable properties suggest that MEPCMs with HDDA enclosure have the potential to be utilized as promising materials for storing thermal energy.