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This study deals with fabrication, thermal properties and thermal reliabilities of microencapsulated paraffin by suspension-like copolymerization of ethyl methacrylate (EMA) with acrylic acid (AA) and styrene (St). Trimethylolpropanetriacrylate (TMPTA) was employed as crosslinking agents. The microencapsulated phase change materials (MicroPCMs) were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis (TG). The microcapsule with P(EMA-co-AA-co-St-co-TMPTA) copolymer as shell exhibits higher phase change enthalpies of melting (117.8 J g) and crystallization (115.3 J g) compared with the microcapsule with P(EMA-co-AA-co-TMPTA) copolymer. TG analysis demonstrated that the thermal resistant temperatures of these two MicroPCMs were increased by more than 10 °C compared with the raw paraffin. The PCMs content of these two MicroPCMs dropped by <6 % after 1000 thermal cycling. Thermal images showed that the foam with microcapsule exhibits an upgraded thermal regulation capacity. As a consequence, microcapsules with EMA-based copolymer possess good potentials for thermal energy storage and thermal regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on preparation and thermal properties of poly(stearyl methacrylate) shell (PSMA) microcapsules containing n-octadecane as a phase change material (PCM). Pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) and divinylbenzene (DVB) were employed as crosslinking agents. The surface morphologies, particle sizes, and distributions of the microencapsulated phase change material (microPCM) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties, thermal reliabilities, and thermal stabilities of the microPCMs were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. The microPCM with DVB exhibits higher phase change enthalpies of melting (87.9 J g) and crystallization (94.8 J g) and a greater thermal stability in comparison with the microPCM with PETA. The phase change temperatures and enthalpies of the microPCMs varied little after thermal cycles. Thermal images showed that the gypsum board with PSMA/ n-octadecane microPCM possessed temperature-regulated property. Therefore, microencapsulated n-octadecane with PSMA as shell has good thermal energy storage and thermal regulation potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]