Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin

This work focuses on flexible epoxy (EP) composites containing various amounts of neat and polydopamine (PDA)-coated paraffin microcapsules as a phase change material (PCM), which have potential applications as adhesives or flexible interfaces with thermal management capability for electronics or ot...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Giulia Fredi, Cordelia Zimmerer, Christina Scheffler, Alessandro Pegoretti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-11-01
Series:Journal of Composites Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/4/4/174
_version_ 1797547127432282112
author Giulia Fredi
Cordelia Zimmerer
Christina Scheffler
Alessandro Pegoretti
author_facet Giulia Fredi
Cordelia Zimmerer
Christina Scheffler
Alessandro Pegoretti
author_sort Giulia Fredi
collection DOAJ
description This work focuses on flexible epoxy (EP) composites containing various amounts of neat and polydopamine (PDA)-coated paraffin microcapsules as a phase change material (PCM), which have potential applications as adhesives or flexible interfaces with thermal management capability for electronics or other high-value-added fields. After PDA modification, the surface of PDA-coated capsules (MC-PDA) becomes rough with a globular appearance, and the PDA layer enhances the adhesion with the surrounding epoxy matrix, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. PDA deposition parameters have been successfully tuned to obtain a PDA layer with a thickness of 53 ± 8 nm, and the total PDA mass in MC-PDA is only 2.2 wt %, considerably lower than previous results. This accounts for the fact that the phase change enthalpy of MC-PDA is only marginally lower than that of neat microcapsules (MC), being 221.1 J/g and 227.7 J/g, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the phase change enthalpy of the prepared composites increases with the capsule content (up to 87.8 J/g) and that the enthalpy of the composites containing MC-PDA is comparable to that of the composites with MC. Dynamic mechanical analysis evidences a decreasing step in the storage modulus of all composites at the glass transition of the EP phase, but no additional signals are detected at the PCM melting. PCM addition positively contributes to the storage modulus both at room temperature and above <inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mi>g</mi></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of the EP phase, and this effect is more evident for composites containing MC-PDA. As the capsule content increases, the mechanical properties of the host EP matrix also increase in terms of elastic modulus (up to +195%), tensile strength (up to +42%), Shore D hardness (up to +36%), and creep compliance (down to −54% at 60 min). These effects are more evident for composites containing MC-PDA due to the enhanced interfacial adhesion.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T14:38:48Z
format Article
id doaj.art-501ca02155654363a91b41b8af75ccc3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2504-477X
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T14:38:48Z
publishDate 2020-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Composites Science
spelling doaj.art-501ca02155654363a91b41b8af75ccc32023-11-20T21:55:18ZengMDPI AGJournal of Composites Science2504-477X2020-11-014417410.3390/jcs4040174Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy ResinGiulia Fredi0Cordelia Zimmerer1Christina Scheffler2Alessandro Pegoretti3Department of Industrial Engineering and INSTM Research Unit, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, ItalyLeibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung, Hohe Str. 6, D01069 Dresden, GermanyLeibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung, Hohe Str. 6, D01069 Dresden, GermanyDepartment of Industrial Engineering and INSTM Research Unit, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, ItalyThis work focuses on flexible epoxy (EP) composites containing various amounts of neat and polydopamine (PDA)-coated paraffin microcapsules as a phase change material (PCM), which have potential applications as adhesives or flexible interfaces with thermal management capability for electronics or other high-value-added fields. After PDA modification, the surface of PDA-coated capsules (MC-PDA) becomes rough with a globular appearance, and the PDA layer enhances the adhesion with the surrounding epoxy matrix, as shown by scanning electron microscopy. PDA deposition parameters have been successfully tuned to obtain a PDA layer with a thickness of 53 ± 8 nm, and the total PDA mass in MC-PDA is only 2.2 wt %, considerably lower than previous results. This accounts for the fact that the phase change enthalpy of MC-PDA is only marginally lower than that of neat microcapsules (MC), being 221.1 J/g and 227.7 J/g, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the phase change enthalpy of the prepared composites increases with the capsule content (up to 87.8 J/g) and that the enthalpy of the composites containing MC-PDA is comparable to that of the composites with MC. Dynamic mechanical analysis evidences a decreasing step in the storage modulus of all composites at the glass transition of the EP phase, but no additional signals are detected at the PCM melting. PCM addition positively contributes to the storage modulus both at room temperature and above <inline-formula><math display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mi>T</mi><mi>g</mi></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> of the EP phase, and this effect is more evident for composites containing MC-PDA. As the capsule content increases, the mechanical properties of the host EP matrix also increase in terms of elastic modulus (up to +195%), tensile strength (up to +42%), Shore D hardness (up to +36%), and creep compliance (down to −54% at 60 min). These effects are more evident for composites containing MC-PDA due to the enhanced interfacial adhesion.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/4/4/174polydopamineparaffin microcapsulesthermal managementflexible epoxythermal propertiesmechanical properties
spellingShingle Giulia Fredi
Cordelia Zimmerer
Christina Scheffler
Alessandro Pegoretti
Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
Journal of Composites Science
polydopamine
paraffin microcapsules
thermal management
flexible epoxy
thermal properties
mechanical properties
title Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
title_full Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
title_fullStr Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
title_full_unstemmed Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
title_short Polydopamine-Coated Paraffin Microcapsules as a Multifunctional Filler Enhancing Thermal and Mechanical Performance of a Flexible Epoxy Resin
title_sort polydopamine coated paraffin microcapsules as a multifunctional filler enhancing thermal and mechanical performance of a flexible epoxy resin
topic polydopamine
paraffin microcapsules
thermal management
flexible epoxy
thermal properties
mechanical properties
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-477X/4/4/174
work_keys_str_mv AT giuliafredi polydopaminecoatedparaffinmicrocapsulesasamultifunctionalfillerenhancingthermalandmechanicalperformanceofaflexibleepoxyresin
AT cordeliazimmerer polydopaminecoatedparaffinmicrocapsulesasamultifunctionalfillerenhancingthermalandmechanicalperformanceofaflexibleepoxyresin
AT christinascheffler polydopaminecoatedparaffinmicrocapsulesasamultifunctionalfillerenhancingthermalandmechanicalperformanceofaflexibleepoxyresin
AT alessandropegoretti polydopaminecoatedparaffinmicrocapsulesasamultifunctionalfillerenhancingthermalandmechanicalperformanceofaflexibleepoxyresin