Temperature Control of Exothermic Reactions Using n-Octadecane@MF Resin microPCMs Based on Esterification Reactions

Reaction thermal runaway, caused by excessive temperatures of the reaction system, threatens the safety of operators. Latent heat storage by phase change materials (PCMs) has the advantages of high energy storage density and stable temperature during the energy storage process, which was widely applied in many fields and provides a new idea for the temperature control of thermal runaway reactions. In this study, microencapsulated phase change materials (microPCMs) with a melamine-formaldehybe (MF) resin shell was fabricated by in situ polymerization. The characterization of the micro morphology, chemical bonds, crystal structure, thermal properties, and thermal stability of microPCMs showed that the prepared microPCMs had integrated spherical morphologies and smooth surfaces, with an encapsulation ratio of approximately 70% and good thermal stability. Furthermore, taking the esterification of propionic anhydride (PA) and 2-butanol (2B) as examples, n-octadecane@MF resin microPCMs was used to control the reaction temperature under various operation conditions in semi-batch reactors. The experimental results showed that the mechanism of the n-octadecane@MF resin microPCMs on the control of reaction temperature in semi-batch reactors was the combination of both physical and chemical interactions. The applications of microPCMs for the control of reaction temperature hold great potential for use in industrial processes.