Preparation and characterization of polyurethane/lauric acid-stearic acid as form-stable phase change materials with a wide phase transition temperature range

Abstract

The current study employed a solvent-free method to prepare a series of crosslinked polyurethane/lauric acid-stearic acid composite form-stable phase change materials (FSPCMs). FTIR, SEM, and XRD results collectively indicate that lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA) have been successfully adsorbed into the polyurethane (PU) mesh-like structure, maintaining their respective crystalline characteristics and exhibiting good compatibility. DSC and TGA data show the wide phase transition temperature range of FSPCMs from 39.6 °C to 70.0 °C, with decomposition commencing at 190.4 °C and the latent heat of FSPCM reaching 181.9 J/g. In conclusion, the broad phase transition temperature range and high latent heat of FSPCMs make them particularly suitable for thermal energy storage.