Development of Phase Change Materials Treated Thermostatic Fabric by Screen Printing Method

The objectives of this study are to examine the conditions of finishing on the cotton fabrics after synthesizing melamine formaldehyde (M/F) microcapsules containing octadecane by the interfacial polymerization method for commercial use as active sportswear. For this, a cotton fabric was coated with the mixture of microcapsules and polyurethane binder under the various conditions such as curing temperature/time and concentration by Screen Printing Method (SPM). The thermal storage/release properties, launderability, mechanical properties, and physical properties of the fabrics were evaluated. And for examining the prior adhesive method, the cotton fabric was also coated by Knife-Over-Roll (KOR). The mean diameter of synthesized microcapsules ranged 1 to 1.5 μm; the shape was spherical, and their heat of fusion/crystallization were 140.55J/g and 133.16J/g respectively. The optimum treatment temperature/time combination to obtain the best thermal storage/release properties from microcapsules treated fabrics was 110°C/1 min. The thermal storage/release properties of treated fabrics increased as microcapsules concentration increased. The thermal properties decreased after 5 times of laundering. Bending, shear rigidities, and mean deviation of surface roughness of treated fabric increased, and the coated fabrics by KOR were stiffer and harder to bend and shear than by SPM. And the treated fabrics by KOR exhibited lower air resistance and higher moisture absorption than by SPM.