Cross-Linked Poly(N‑hydroxymethyl acrylamide)/Polyethylene Glycol Eutectic Microspheres with an Interpenetrating Polymer Network as a Composite Phase Change Material

• Published in: Energy & fuels Vol. 35; no. 7; pp. 6240 - 6249
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yunhe, Zhang, Hong, Wang, Yuanzhen, Duan, Yujie, Shi, Junfeng, Ye, Yongming, Zhu, Haotong, Liu, Lingwei, Yan, Ming, Liu, Yuanfa, Yu, Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 01.04.2021
• Subjects: Batteries and Energy Storage
• ISSN: 0887-0624; 1520-5029
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.0c03123

This study presents a composite phase change material (CPCM) that uses emulsion polymerization to prepare cross-linked poly­(N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) (PN-MA)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) eutectic microspheres. X-ray diffractogram shows that even after adding PN-MA for cross-linking, the PEG eutectic still exhibited crystallization ability. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the CPCM melted at 31.58 °C with 94.61 J/g and solidified at 38.02 °C with 88.63 J/g. Thermogravimetric analysis suggested that the CPCM can be applied to thermal energy storage. After 25 thermal cycles, there was a change in the macrostructure of the CPCM and the latent heat of phase change. Scanning electron microscopy results shows that the CPCM is a kind of microsphere with uniform particle size distribution. The CPCM is expected to be used in fields such as smart textiles, thermal insulation materials, and industrial waste heat utilization.