Thermal storage/release and mechanical properties of phase change materials on polyester fabrics

Melamine formaldehyde microcapsules containing octadecane are synthesized by the interfacial polymerization method, and the size, shape, and thermal storage/release properties of the synthesized microcapsules are analyzed by FFIR, SEM, and DSC. Polyester fabrics are then coated with the microcapsules under various conditions of concentration and time/temperature by the knife-over-roll (KOR) and screen printing (SP) methods. The thermal, mechanical, and physical properties of the untreated and treated fabrics are evaluated to identify the best adhesive method. The mean diameter of the microcapsules ranges from 1 to 1.5 mum, and their shapes are almost spherical. Under the optimum treatment concentration, temperature, and time, thermal properties after five launderings decrease rapidly, and the bending and shear rigidities of the KOR fabrics are higher than those of the sp fabrics. This means that fabrics coated by sp become less stiff and hard than those by KOR. sp fabrics exhibit higher air permeability and lower hygroscopic properties than KOR fabrics.