Development of Fatty Acid Eutectic Phase Change Material Coated Cotton Fabrics Using Chitosan Binders for Thermal Comfort and Wash Durability
Planning complete · Experiments not yet started. Topic, materials and planned methods are documented. Experimental work is scheduled to begin November 2026.
Research motivation
Cotton does not store and release latent heat in the way a phase change material (PCM) does. A PCM coating could moderate temperature fluctuations at the fabric surface, but material measurements alone cannot establish wearer comfort.
The practical question is durability under laundering. The planned study investigates whether a lauric–myristic acid PCM coating with a chitosan and citric acid binder retains measurable thermal response after washing. No performance result is available yet.
A specific research gap motivates this thesis: published studies combining a lauric acid–myristic acid eutectic PCM core with a chitosan–citric acid crosslinking network on cotton are scarce, and this thesis is designed to address that gap with a bio-based system that avoids synthetic encapsulants.
Research question
Can a chitosan-bound lauric–myristic acid eutectic PCM coating give cotton fabric measurable, wash-durable thermal regulation?
Research objectives
PCM selection & fabric development
Prepare and identify a suitable LA–MA eutectic PCM and develop a PCM-coated cotton fabric.
Characterization & thermal response
Characterize and evaluate the thermal response of the coated fabric.
Wash durability
Investigate PCM retention across different wash cycles.
Materials
Substrate
100% cotton woven fabric
PCM blend
Lauric acid + myristic acid eutectic mixture
Binder
Chitosan
Crosslinker
Citric acid
Crosslinking catalyst
Sodium hypophosphite
PCM dispersion
Tween 80 / nonionic emulsifier
Application method
Dip-coating
Solvent
Distilled water
Planned methodology
All steps below are planned · not yet executed
- 01Screen seven LA:MA candidate ratios (100:0, 80:20, 70:30, 65:35, 60:40, 50:50, 0:100 wt%) via DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) to identify the eutectic composition
- 02Prepare chitosan solution with citric acid as a crosslinking agent
- 03Dip-coat cotton fabric in the PCM–chitosan formulation under controlled conditions
- 04Cure the coated fabric to crosslink the binder network
- 05Characterize thermal properties using DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry: latent heat capacity, phase transition temperatures) and TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis: thermal stability and decomposition behavior)
- 06Characterize functional groups using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy
- 07Examine surface morphology and coating distribution using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)
- 08Measure water vapour permeability (WVP) and air permeability to evaluate comfort and breathability
- 09Assess wash durability across 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 wash cycles
- 10Re-characterize at each wash-cycle stage using DSC and FTIR
Planned characterization
Measures phase transition temperatures (melting and crystallization) and latent heat storage capacity of the PCM blend and coated fabric.
Measures thermal degradation profiles, weight loss transitions, and decomposition temperatures of the coated fabric.
Analyzes infrared absorbance spectra for functional-group changes; spectra alone cannot confirm a specific crosslinking mechanism.
Examines surface and cross-sectional morphology, coating uniformity, and particle adhesion across cotton fibers.
Measures the rate of moisture vapor transmission through the fabric to assess wear breathability.
Quantifies airflow volume through a defined area of fabric at a specified pressure drop.
Compares measured thermal response and coating retention after planned 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 wash cycles; retention calculations require confirmation.
Control samples, independent replicates, washing procedure, measurement endpoints and performance-retention calculations require confirmation with the supervisor and testing laboratory; they are not specified in the available plan.
Timeline and current status
Topic finalization
Sep 2026
Materials and methodology finalized
Sep 2026
Supervisor assigned
Sep 2026
Experimental work begins
Nov 2026
Data collection and characterization
Nov 2026 – Feb 2027
Analysis and write-up
Mar 2027
My role
This is my individual undergraduate thesis conducted under the supervision of Joy Sarkar. I am responsible for all experimental work, including sample preparation, coating application, characterization, data analysis and write-up. My supervisor provides academic guidance and recommendations throughout the process.
Future direction
After this study, a possible direction is to investigate microencapsulated PCM systems on blended technical fabrics. Any extension depends on the results of the current work.