Preparation of calcium alginate microcapsules containing n-nonadecane by a melt coaxial electrospray method

• PCM microcapsule is prepared using a melt coaxial electrospray method.
• The microcapsules containing 56 wt% n-nonadecane and the diameter lower than 100 μm.
• Capsule diameter increased with alginate concentration and spinning distance.
• The shell and the core solution flow rates should be controlled during electrospray.

A novel method called melt coaxial electrospray was used to produce phase change material (PCM) microcapsules with sodium alginate as the shell and n-nonadecane as the core. The effect of production parameters on microcapsule size and structure was studied. The microcapsules were characterized using optical microscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The thermal behavior of PCM microcapsules was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of FTIR and DSC confirmed the successful melt coaxial electrospraying of PCMs. Careful control of production parameters yielded spherical PCM microcapsules with diameter lower than 100 μm and 56 ± 5% encapsulation ratio.

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