Recent Advances in Organic/Composite Phase Change Materials for Energy Storage

Yongcun Zhou,1,2,*,Email

Siqi Wu,1

Yu Ma,3

Hang Zhang,3,4,*,Email 

Xiaoliang Zeng5

Feixiang Wu6

Feng Liu1,7

Jong E. Ryu8

Zhanhu Guo9,*,Email

1School of Material Science and Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710072, China

2Yangtze River Delta Research Institute of NPU, Taicang 215400, China

3Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

4University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

5Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Electronic Materials, Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China

6School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

7Analytical & Testing Center, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, 710072, China

8Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA

9Integrated Composites Laboratory (ICL), Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) store and release energy in the phase change processes. In recent years, PCMs have gained increasing attention due to their excellent properties such as high latent heat storage capacity, appropriate solid-liquid phase change temperature, thermal reliability, and low cost. Herein, classification, characteristics, and evaluation criteria of organic/composite PCMs are systematically illustrated, and some typical preparation methods are introduced, such as in-situ polymerization, interfacial polymerization, spray drying method, porous materials adsorption method, sol-gel method, melt-impregnated and mixing method, electrospinning method, vacuum infiltration and ultrasonic method are introduced. In addition, this review presents some applications of PCMs in the utilization of solar energy, building materials, air conditioning, industrial waste heat recovery, and military camouflage and stealth. Finally, the development tendency of PCMs is discussed.

Recent Advances in Organic/Composite Phase Change Materials for Energy Storage