This article describes a new type of silica microspheres that contain a panel of phase change nanoparticles (Field's alloy, indium, tin or lead–tin eutectic alloy).
The thermophysical properties of solid–liquid phase change nanoparticles, i.e., composition-dependent melting temperatures, sharp melting peaks, and large thermal scan range, enable construction of a large number of silica microspheres that have thermally distinguishable patterns of melting temperatures. (publisher abstract modified)