Preparation of composite thermochromic and phase-change materials by the sol–gel method and its application in textiles

Composite thermochromic and phase-change materials (CTPCM) containing bromocresolpurple, boric acid, and tetradecyl alcohol were prepared by sol–gel method. The thermochromic behavior and thermal properties of CTPCM were studied. The characterization of the CTPCM including the particle size, size distribution, FTIR spectra, and DSC spectra was also carried out. The prepared CTPCM were added to the cotton fabrics by a conventional pad-dry-cure coating process to develop thermochromic and thermoregulating textile materials. The results indicated that the thermochromic and phase-change materials were embedded in the three-dimensional network structure of the silicon gel completely in the way of physical combination during the composite process. Most of the CTPCM had particle sizes of 0.1–10 μm, which had a higher phase-change enthalpy and a desirable phase-change temperature. The treated textiles exhibited the good thermochromic behavior and thermal properties.