Abstract: The research and applications of microcapsule phase-change materials have attracted wide attention of scholars both at home and abroad and now have become the research hotspots in the energy storage field. The paper introduced microencapsulation technology and the composition of microcapsule phase-change materials, particularly the two preparation methods for microcapsule phase-change materials: in-situ polymerization and interfacial polymerization. It also summed up the applications of microcapsule phase-change materials in textile industry, building industry and other fields and forecast their future development.

Key words: microcapsule; phase-change material; preparation method; application