In this study, it was focused on the investigation of comfort-related properties of the fabrics treated with microcapsules containing phase change materials (PCMs microcapsules). There are limited findings about the effect of prepared PCM microcapsules on fabric properties related with the tactile comfort. In this work, we applied our produced microcapsules to the cotton fabrics and researched these fabrics’ tactile comfort-related properties such as bending rigidity, drape, fabric–fabric friction, and tenacity. One of the outstanding properties of our microcapsules is reactive carboxylic acid groups on their wall. They have the ability to bind to the fabrics in terms of their reactive chemical groups. Microcapsules on the fabrics can be durable to the effects of the rubbing and repeated washings. The fabric test results indicated that air permeability, bending rigidity, tensile strength decrease with the microcapsule treatment, whereas the fabric drape and coefficient of friction of the fabrics increase depending on the amount of microcapsules added on the fabric.

The aim of this study was to fabricate cotton and wool fabrics with both of thermoregulation and thermochromic properties. For this aim, three-component thermochromic systems (TCTS) were microencapsulated and applied to the pure cotton and wool textile fabrics. In the study, TCTSs consisting of crystal violet lactone (CVL), bisphenol A (BPA), and myristyl alcohol were microencapsulated in shell of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (P(MMA-co-MAA)) by emulsion polymerization method. Microcapsule wall structures were designed to exhibit affinity for cotton and wool fibres under appropriate reaction conditions. Microcapsules having spherical shape, compact morphology and average size of 23.24 µm were prepared successfully. These microparticles exhibited latent heat energy storage capacity of 197.7 J/g and considerable thermal stability required for textile application process conditions. P(MMA-co-MAA)/TCTS microcapsules were applied to the cotton and wool textiles by exhaustion method. In the method, a substrate takes the chemicals in the bath and the affinity between the chemicals and substrate molecules is determinant on exhaustion process. The structural, colorimetric and thermal characteristics of the microcapsule applied fabrics were analyzed. The fabrics had reversible color change with a function of temperature. Their colors were blue at room temperature and original color of the fabric at temperatures above activation point of the thermochromic system. Additionally, the cotton fabric stored the latent heat of 23.4 J/g while the wool fabric stored the latent heat of 62.1 J/g. They exhibited thermoregulation property resulting from the absorbed latent heat.

In the study, the development of cotton and wool fabrics that exhibit reversible color change and heat regulation properties was aimed. For this purpose, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate)/thermochromic composite 1 (PMMA/GMA/TC1) and poly(methyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate)/thermochromic composite 2 (PMMA/GMA/TC2) microcapsules which had both of color change and heat storage properties were applied to fabrics by bath exhaustion method. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) measurement results showed that all of the fabrics could store considerable latent heat energy, as the highest melting enthalpy was obtained for Cotton 1 and Wool 1 fabrics treated with PMMA/GMA/TC1 microcapsules. The Cotton 1 and Wool 1 fabric stored the latent heat of 76.1 J/g and 89.2 J/g, respectively. According to Thermal History measurement results, microcapsule applied fabrics exhibited cooling effect resulting from the released latent heat by 1-tetradecanol which was used as the solvent component of TCs. The visual photographs and color analysis results proved that the fabrics with thermochromic property showed reversible color change with temperature variations exceeding melting.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to prepare microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs) and apply them to cotton and wool fabrics for developing thermo-regulating fabrics.Design/methodology/approach: Microencapsulatedn-hexadecane andn-octadecane with poly(methylmethacrylate-co-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) shell was prepared. Microcapsules were fabricated using oil-in-water emulsion polymerization method. Their chemical structure, microstructure, thermal energy storage properties and thermal stability were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, polarized light microscope, differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analyzer, respectively. The mean particle size was tested by a particle sized instrument. The microcapsules were applied to the wool and cotton fabrics using pad-dry-cure method. The thermo-regulating property of the fabrics was evaluated using the T-History test. The distribution and durability of the microcapsules on the fabrics was investigated with scanning electron microscopy.Findings: Spherical microcapsules with p(MMA-co-HEMA) shell andn-alkane core have been produced successfully.n-hexadecane in microcapsule solidifies at 14.8−15.6°C with the latent heat of 65.6−129.8 J/g and melts at 16.7−16.9°C with the latent heat of 67.6−136.9 J/g. Microencapsulatedn-octadecane solidifies at 25.8−26.3°C with the latent heat of 74.1−106.2 J/g and melts at 26.8−27.4°C with the latent heat of 80.3−113.4 J/g. The microcapsules have enough thermal stability to the temperature of 150°C that was applied during the fixation of microcapsules on the fabric. The thermo-regulating effect of the microcapsule-incorporated fabrics has been proved by the T-history test.Originality/value: PCM microcapsules with p(MMA-co-HEMA) shell andn-hexadecane andn-octadecane core have been produced and their usage to produce thermo-regulating textiles have been proved. To determine the thermo-regulating property of the fabrics treated with these new PCM microcapsules, a T-History system has been designed.