Eudragit S (methyl methacrylate methacrylic acid copolymer)/fatty acid blends as form-stable phase change material for latent heat thermal energy storage

By composing (Eudragit S) with fatty acids (stearic acid (SA), palmitic acid (PA), and myristic acid (MA)), form-stable phase change materials (PCMs), which can retain the same shape in a solid state even when the temperature of the PCMs is over the melting points of the fatty acids, are prepared. The compatibility of fatty acids with the Eudragit S is proved by microscopic investigation and infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The melting and crystallization temperatures and the latent heats of melting and crystallization of the form-stable PCMs are measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) method. The maximum mass percentage of all fatty acids in the form-stable PCMs is found as 70%, and no leakage of fatty acid is observed at the temperature range of 50-70 degrees C for several heating cycles. Thermal properties obtained from the DSC analysis indicate that the Eudragit S/fatty acid blends as form-stable PCM have great potential for passive solar latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) applications in terms of their satisfactory thermal properties and utility advantage. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.