# US 10,501,668 B2 · Encapsulation of thermal energy storage media

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- Number: US 10,501,668 B2
- Document ID: US10501668B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/683,146
- Filed: 2017-08-22
- Published: 2018-01-18
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-18
- Assignees: University of South Florida
- Applicants: Jaspreet Dhau; D. Yogi Goswami; Chand K. Jotshi; Elias K. Stefanakos
- Inventors: Jaspreet Dhau; D. Yogi Goswami; Chand K. Jotshi; Elias K. Stefanakos
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501668B2

## CPC

- C09K 5/063: {Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials}
- C09K 5/00: Heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials, e.g. refrigerants; Materials for the production of heat or cold by chemical reactions other than by combustion
- C23C 18/1641: {Organic substrates, e.g. resin, plastic}
- C23C 18/165: {Multilayered product (layered product B32B)}
- C23C 18/31: Coating with metals
- C25D 7/00: Electroplating characterised by the article coated
- F28D 20/023: {the latent heat storage material being enclosed in granular particles or dispersed in a porous, fibrous or cellular structure}
- F28F 21/06: of plastics material
- F28F 2225/00: Reinforcing means
- F28F 2255/06: composite, e.g. polymers with fillers or fibres
- Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for depositing metal on a polymer surface, the method includes coating the polymer surface with a binding metal to render the polymer surface solvophillic and/or hydrophilic and depositing a further metal on the binding metal-coated polymer surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for depositing metal on a polymer surface, the method comprising:
obtaining a hydrophobic polymer having a surface;
powder coating the surface of the hydrophobic polymer with small particles of a binding metal to render the polymer surface solvophillic and/or hydrophilic;
electrolessly depositing a first layer of plating metal on the binding metal-coated polymer surface to render the surface electrically conductive; and
directly depositing via electroplating a second layer of plating metal on the first layer of plating metal such that no other material is provided between the first and second layers of plating metal.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), polyimide, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein powder coating comprises applying nickel, palladium, aluminum, copper, or alloys thereof to the surface of the hydrophobic polymer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the particles are approximately 2 to 30 microns in diameter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein powder coating comprises one of rubbing, jar milling, or rolling the particles onto the surface of the hydrophobic polymer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first layer of plating metal comprises copper, nickel, tin, palladium, cobalt, silver, zinc or alloys thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second layer of plating metal comprises copper, nickel, tin, palladium, cobalt, silver, zinc or alloys thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein electrolessly depositing comprises first applying a catalyst to the binding metal-coated polymer surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein applying a catalyst comprises applying a catalyst precursor using an organic solvent solution.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein electrolessly depositing comprises electrolessly depositing the first layer of plating metal using a water-based process.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein electrolessly depositing comprises electrolessly depositing the first layer of plating metal using an organic solvent-based process.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the organic solvent-based process comprises decomposing a metal precursor either thermally or by application of a reducing agent.