Interface Engineering of T-Al ₂ O ₃ Nanofibers for Synergistically Enhanced Multifunctional Phase Change Composites toward Thermal Management

Thermal protection plays a crucial role in environments characterized by extreme temperatures, and the continuously rising global temperature poses significant challenges for the management of heat stress. Phase change materials (PCMs) have received extensive attention due to their wide application in thermal energy storage and temperature regulation. In this study, we prepared phase change microcapsules exhibiting high stability and excellent thermal performance through the Pickering emulsion template method. n-Docosane (C22) was utilized as the core material, while aramid nanofibers (ANF) and interface-optimized titanate-modified alumina (T-Al2O3) served as the shell layer. By regulating the emulsion stability and interfacial interaction, the core material was efficiently encapsulated and the thermal conductivity (TC) and mechanical strength of the microcapsules were significantly enhanced. Further, the phase change microcapsules were assembled into flexible phase change composites through vacuum filtration technology, which exhibited high latent heat (212.9 J/g), high TC (5.91 W·m–1·K–1), cycling stability, and a temperature control range of ≥10 °C. The research results indicate that the prepared phase change composites have broad application prospects in fields such as thermal management of electronic devices. This study provides ideas and methods for the development of high-performance phase change materials via nanoscale structural design and their application in thermal energy storage.