Synthesis of microcapsules and inclusion complexes consisting of hydrophobic cores and polysaccharidic shells for thermal energy management and packaging

Active substances can be stabilized to be protected from undesirable reactions, aggregation, and leaking, which would keep the intended functions of the active substances without premature degradation. Among such active substances are paraffin-based organic phase change materials (PCMs) and essential oils (EOs), which feature attractive characteristics, e.g., high latent heat of fusion and inherent antimicrobial activity. However, their high volatility requires an effective stabilization strategy. Petroleum-based synthetic polymers have often been employed to stabilize PCMs and EOs by encapsulation and complexation pathways. Despite their proven effectiveness, these polymers are from non-renewable resources, and non-degradable and often toxic, which has prompted a need to develop a substitute arising from natural polymers that are environmentally benign, biodegradable, and sustainable. Valorization of biomass in this regard would add extra value to biomass otherwise burned or wasted. This dissertation will present the development of microcapsules and inclusion complexes consisting of a hydrophobic active substance core and a polysaccharidic shell originating from biomass. The first two chapters will explain the introduction and experimental details. Chapter 3 will present the microencapsulation of n-hexadecane as PCM via oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions stabilized by unmodified cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) through a sonochemical technique. Chapter 4 will investigate the incorporation of the PCM-CNF microcapsules into TEMPO-oxidized CNF films for building application. Finally, Chapter 5 will show the synthesis of EOs-beta cyclodextrin (βCD) inclusion complexes as a guest-host system through a sonochemical technique