Surface coating incorporating phase change material

1. A modified surface coating or paint comprising:

a. from about 10 to about 99 weight % of a base coating; and

b. from about 1 to about 90 weight % of a stable emulsion comprising:

i. water;

ii. a phase change material (PCM) comprising octadecane; and

iii. a modified cyclodextrin having at least one functional moiety capable of forming a stable emulsion with the PCM in said fluid medium and said base coating formulation; wherein the at least one functional moiety is an ester group;

wherein the amount of component (i) is from about 0.10 to about 0.8, the amount of component (ii) is from about 0.1 to about 0.8, and the amount of component (iii) is from about 0.03 to about 0.50, wherein the amounts are weight ratios based on the total weight of the emulsion.

2. The modified surface coating of claim 1 , wherein said PCM comprises from about 10 weight % to about 70 weight % of the emulsion, based on the total weight of the emulsion.

3. The modified surface coating of claim 1 , wherein the solid carrier is a modified cyclodextrin having a degree of substitution (DS) of from 0.3 to 3, and the ester group is selected from acetate, n-propionate, isopropionate, n-butyrate, isobutyrate and mixed functionality.

4. The modified surface coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating has from about 5 weight % to about 50 weight % of the PCM admixed into the paint formulation.

5. The modified surface coating of claim 1 , wherein the base coating is a water-based paint.

6. A coated substrate having a passive energy well for storing and releasing thermal energy comprising:

A. a first surface exposed to heat source; and

B. coated on the first surface a sufficient amount of the modified surface coating or paint composition comprising:

i. from about 10 to about 99 weight % of a base coating; and

ii. from about 1 to about 90 weight % of a stable emulsion comprising:

a. water;

b. a phase change material (PCM) comprising octadecane; and

c. a modified cyclodextrin having at least one functional moiety capable of forming a stable emulsion with the PCM in said fluid medium and said base coating formulation; wherein the at least one functional moiety is an ester group;

wherein the amount of component (i) is from about 0.10 to about 0.8, the amount of component (ii) is from about 0.1 to about 0.8, and the amount of component (iii) is from about 0.03 to about 0.50:

wherein the amounts are weight ratios based on the total weight of the emulsion, wherein said first surface can absorb/release at least about 226 Joules of energy over a surface area of 400 ft 2 in a 24 hour period when the temperature of the surroundings is ±2° of the PCM latent heat of fusion phase change temperature; and wherein said first coated surface comprises a plurality of coats of modified surface coatings, wherein a first layer comprises first modified coating having a first PCM with a first heat of fusion and a second layer comprises a second modified coating having a second PCM with a second heat of fusion, wherein the second heat of fusion is different than the first heat of fusion.

7. The coated substrate of claim 6 , wherein said base coating is a water-based paint.

8. The coated substrate of claim 6 , wherein said modified surface coating or paint composition has a weight ratio of emulsion-to-base paint of from 0.01:1 to 10:1.

9. The coated substrate of claim 6 , wherein said modified surface coating or paint composition has a weight ratio of emulsion-to-base paint of 1:1.

10. The coated substrate of claim 6 , wherein said first PCM has a heat of fusion greater than the second PCM.

11. The coated substrate of claim 6 , wherein said first PCM has a heat of fusion less than the second PCM.