Polymer nanoparticles to decrease thermal conductivity of phase change materials

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that embedding polymer nanoparticles in phase change material coatings reduces thermal conductivity, improves phase change behavior, and maintains mechanical properties, surpassing traditional mixing predictions.

Contribution

Introduction of polymer nanoparticles into phase change material coatings to enhance thermal insulation and mechanical properties beyond existing models.

Findings

Polymer nanoparticles decrease thermal conductivity more than Maxwell mixing rules predict.

Nanoparticles do not affect latent heat and improve phase change behavior.

Mechanical properties are maintained or improved with nanoparticle addition.

Abstract

Microparticles including paraffin are currently used for textiles coating in order to deaden thermal shocks. We will show that polymer nanoparticles embedded in those microsized capsules allow for decreasing the thermal conductivity of the coating and enhance the protection in the stationary regime. A reasonable volume fraction of polymer nanoparticles reduces the conductivity more than predicted by Maxwell mixing rules. Besides, measurements prove that the polymer nanoparticles do not affect the latent heat and even improve the phase change behaviour as well as the mechanical properties.