Dodecane/Silica Phase Change Microcapsules: Fabrication, Structure and Stability

With the growing concern for energy and environmental issues, phase change materials are increasingly being recognized as a promising and eco-friendly energy storage material. However, the application of solid-liquid phase change materials is hindered by leakage issues. One effective solution to this issue is the fabrication of phase change microcapsules by encapsulating phase change materials. In this study, we designed and prepared phase change microcapsules composed of dodecane core and silica shell via interfacial polymerization, utilizing tetraethyl orthosilicate as the silicon source. The microstructure, composition, phase change properties and thermal stability of the microcapsules were analyzed using various techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, energy spectrum analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The findings revealed that the microcapsules had good microscopic morphology and uniform particle size of about 300–400 nm when the core–shell mass ratio was 5:5. Moreover, these microcapsules exhibited excellent phase change function and thermal stability.