Microcapsules containing water-absorbent polymer, poly (sodium acrylate), were prepared by the drying-in-liquid method. Polystyrene was adopted as the wall material of the capsule. In order to improve the thermal conductivity of the microcapsule, an attempt was made to squeeze silicon carbide (SiC) powder into it. The SiC powder had been treated with a silane coupling agent at various conditions to change its affinity to the liquid-liquid system.
In the experiment, the operating conditions, such as the degree of treatment of SiC, the polystyrene concentration in oil phase, the added amount of SiC, and the SiC particle size, were changed stepwise.
It was investigated how the operating conditions affected the properties of microcapsules, such as the mean size, the contents of SiC and water-absorbent polymer, the absorption rate, and amount of saturation absorption, and the thermal conductive property.
The microcapsules were observed by scanning electron microscopy and the state of dispersion of SiC powder in the microcapsules was analysed by electron probe microanalysis.
The state of dispersion of SiC powder varied depending on the treatment condition. The microcapsule prepared was found to act as the medium of thermal storage.
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