Encapsulation of Phase Change Material by Means of Electroplating

Abstract

Encapsulation of a phase-change material (PCM) based on electroplating method is investigated experimentally. The encapsulated PCM has a two-layer structure, which is coated thinly by metallic nickel and rhodium. The PCM obtained has enough strength against melting-solidification cycles when the thickness of nickel is more than 50 microns. The present method offers many benefits for the practical use of PCM, such as uniform film thickness, easy and quick coating and non-sintering among capsules.