BURST-RESISTANT, DISPERSIBLE NANO-ENCAPSULATED PHASE-CHANGE MATERIAL AND METHODS FOR PREPARING THE SAME

1 . A burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material comprising:

at least one phase change core material;

a shell comprising the reaction product of a plurality of non-phase change materials comprising at least one monomer, an initiator, a crosslinker and at least one surfactant, the shell surrounding the at least one phase change core material and formed by a low energy emulsification followed by a polymerization of a mixture of the phase change core material and the plurality of non-phase change materials in water;

wherein a mass ratio between the at least one phase change core material and the plurality of non-phase change materials is 5-15:10,

wherein the nano-encapsulated phase-change material after said low energy emulsification and polymerization has a particle size ranging between 50 and 500 nm and a heat of fusion of 60 J/g or greater.

2 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinker is selected from one or more of allyl methacrylate (AMA), benzoyl peroxide (BPO), dicumyl peroxide (DCP), dimethyl 3,3′-dithiobispropionimidate (DTBP), or 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid (DBHP).

3 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-phase change materials further comprises a chain-transfer agent.

4 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 3 , wherein the chain-transfer agent is selected from 1-Dodecanethiol (DDT) or dodecyl mercaptan (DDM).

5 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change core material is one or more selected from light paraffinic, 25 #phase change paraffin, 30 #phase change paraffin, 35 #paraffin, C 12-28 n-alkane, C 8-18 fatty alcohols, C 8-18 fatty acids and/or ester thereof.

6 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change core material comprises hexadecane, octadecane, eicosane, laurate, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and n-butyl stearate, or any combination thereof.

7 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the monomer comprises styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, methyl methacrylate (MMA), butyl acrylate (BA), vinyltoluene, methacrylic acid, and acrylic acid, or any combination thereof.

8 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one initiator comprises ammonium persulfate, potassium persulfate, t-butyl hydroperoxide, and 2.2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN), or any combination thereof.

9 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one surfactant comprises polysorbate, sorbitan esters, cetrimonium bromide (CTAB), and alkyl polyethoxylate, or any combination thereof.

10 . The burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one phase change core material is in an amount of 100-500 parts by weight of the mixture, and the plurality of non-phase change materials comprises:

100-500 parts by weight of monomer;

1-5 parts by weight of initiator;

10-50 parts by weight of crosslinker;

100-500 parts by weight of surfactant; and

1000-6000 parts by weight of water after said low energy emulsification and polymerization.

11 . A matrix comprising a solid or liquid material and the burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 dispersed therein.

12 . The matrix of claim 11 , wherein the solid material or the liquid material comprises polyurethane (PU), silicone rubber, gypsum, cotton, or polyester textile.

13 . A one-pot synthesis method for mass-producing the burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material of claim 1 , the method comprising:

mixing the at least one phase change core material with the plurality of non-phase change materials comprising at least one monomer, an initiator, a crosslinker, and at least one hydrophobic surfactant to form a hydrophobic mixture;

heating the mixture at a temperature which is higher than a melting point of the hydrophobic mixture;

dropping an aqueous mixture which includes water and at least one hydrophilic surfactant into the hydrophobic mixture with a magnetic stirring at 100-500 rpm for a sufficient period of time to form a nano-emulsion; and

heating the nano-emulsion under an inert gas atmosphere to form the burst-resistant, dispersible nano-encapsulated phase-change material having a particle size ranging between 50 and 500 nm.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the heating the nano-emulsion is under a temperature ranging between 60 and 80° C.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising adding a chain-transfer agent into the plurality of non-phase change materials prior to or during the mixing with the at least one phase change core material.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the chain-transfer agent is selected from 1-Dodecanethiol (DDT) or dodecyl mercaptan (DDM).

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the inert gas is sealed nitrogen.