Preparation and performance of phase change thermoregulating fabric with high heat storage density via spray coating

To achieve the efficient encapsulation of microencapsulated phase change materials (mPCMs) and the one-step preparation of a phase change fabric, we prepared self-adhesive phase change microcapsules. By adding sticky polymers during the preparation of the phase change microcapsules, the microcapsule preparation and thermoregulation finishing steps were integrated into a single process to realize the fast and efficient preparation of phase change thermoregulating fabrics with high energy storage density. A sticky polymer polyvinyl alcohol solution used instead of conventional water as the continuous phase medium for emulsion polymerization to synthesize sticky mPCMs in the emulsions, enabling their application in fabrics via rapid spraying. The micromorphology, chemical structure, thermal properties, dynamic heat storage and temperature regulation performance of the phase change fabrics with mPCMs were subsequently studied, revealing the successful preparation and effective adhesion of the mPCMs to the interior of the fabric. After about 10 min under simulated sunlight, the fabric treated with mPCMs exhibited a 14°C temperature buffering impact within the phase change temperature (~26°C) compared with the untreated fabric. The treated fabric also had a 4.5°C lower surface temperature upon reaching thermal equilibrium after 30 min, lead to the slower rise in the fabric temperature. Our approach simplified the preparation method into a one-step process to provide phase change thermoregulating fabrics with high heat storage density. These findings further demonstrated the potential of microencapsulated n-octadecane for thermal management applications, including automotive interiors, heat protection suits, sports clothing, thermoregulating covers for buildings and other commercial applications.