Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 for shape stabilization and enhanced thermal stability of paraffin-based phase change materials

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67), a new kind of metal–organic framework, has large surface area as well as outstanding thermal and chemical stability. In this paper, micro-sized ZIF-67 crystals were prepared and further employed as the reinforcing material to design novel paraffin-based composite phase change materials (PCMs) with a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) shell. The composite PCMs were fabricated by using a ZIF-67 crystal-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsion as a template. Morphologies and thermal properties of the prepared composite PCMs with different contents of ZIF-67 crystals were determined by SEM, DSC and TGA. Results showed that the ZIF-67 concentration in the emulsion system has a significant effect on the microstructure, phase change behavior and thermal stability of the resultant composite PCMs. When adding 1.5 g of ZIF-67 crystals, the resultant composite PCMs achieved a stable sphere-like structure and had about 106.06 J g(−1) of latent heat. The prepared composite PCMs also exhibited a good thermal stability. Compared with pure paraffin, the thermostability of the shape-stabilized paraffin was significantly enhanced at a low content of ZIF-67 crystals.