Thermally regulated cotton fabric coated with expanded graphite stabilized paraffin mixture as composite phase change material

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to manufacture cotton fabric with thermal regulation performance by using the composite phase change material (CPCM) prepared by coating paraffin doped with expanded graphite (EG), and the thermal effect of the fabric material was evaluated and characterized.Design/methodology/approachEG/paraffin CPCM with shape stability and enhanced thermal conductivity were prepared by the impregnation method and then finished on the surface of cotton fabric with coating technology. The microstructure, crystal structure, chemical composition, latent heat property and thermal conductivity were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimeter and thermal constant analyzer. The photo-thermal effect of the coated fabric was studied by a thermal infrared imager.FindingsCPCM prepared with a mass ratio of EG to paraffin of 1:8 showed excellent shape stability and low paraffin leakage rate. The latent heat of the CPCM was 51.6201 J/g and the thermal conductivity coefficient was increased by 11.4 times compared with the mixed paraffin. After the CPCM was coated on the surface of the cotton fabric, the light-to-heat conversion rate of the C-EG/PA3 sample was improved by 86.32% compared with the original fabric. In addition, the coated fabric showed excellent thermal stability and heat storage performance in the thermal cycling test.Research limitations/implicationsEG can improve the shape stability and thermal conductivity of paraffin but will reduce the latent heat energy.Practical implicationsThe method developed provided a simple and practical solution to improving the thermal regulation performance of fabrics.Originality/valueCombining paraffin wax with fabrics in a composite way is innovative and has certain applicability in improving the thermal properties of fabrics.