Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2025, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (7): 2635-2653.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2025.0053

• Special Issue on the 13th Energy Storage International Conference and Exhibition • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Organic porous shape-stabilized composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage: A review

Taotao LIU1(), Shaopeng ZHANG1, Yifei WANG1,2(), Xipeng LIN1,2()   

  1. 1.National Energy Large Scale Physical Energy Storage Technologies R&D Center of Bijie High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Bijie 551700, Guizhou, China
    2.The Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 110190, China
  • Received:2025-01-14 Revised:2025-02-15 Online:2025-07-28 Published:2025-07-11
  • Contact: Yifei WANG, Xipeng LIN E-mail:2743585592@qq.com;wangyifei@iet.cn;linxipeng05@163.com

Abstract:

Phase change materials (PCMs) can alleviate energy concerns to some extent via reversible storage of thermal energy. PCM-based heat accumulation technology holds significant potential for temperature regulation and thermal storage applications. However, their wider development and application are limited by deficiencies such as low thermal conductivity, leakage during the solid-liquid phase change process, and a single function. Interestingly, organic, porous, and shape-stabilized materials, primarily biomass-based and polymer-based porous materials, have been recognized as support materials for constructing shape-stabilized composite PCMs. Multi-function PCMs with stable shapes can be prepared by encapsulating PCMs with organic, porous, and shape-stabilized materials combined with other functional materials, effectively addressing the aforementioned problems in the field of phase-change heat storage. This paper describes four preparation methods—physical blending, vacuum impregnation, chemical grafting, and electrospinning of biomass-based and polymer-based multi-porous composite phase-change thermal storage materials and compares their advantages and limitations. Thereafter, the latest advances in the preparation of organic, porous, and shape-stabilized composite PCMs through direct and functional compositing methods are reviewed to understand the inherent limitations of traditional PCMs. The thermal properties of these composite materials are systematically summarized. Additionally, the typical applications of these PCMs in the fields of solar energy storage, industrial waste heat, intelligent buildings, wearable fabrics, electronic devices, and biomedicine are described. Furthermore, the current challenges are highlighted to inspire more research ideas for developing in detail novel and excellent properties of composite PCMs.

Key words: phase change materials, organic porous shape-stabilized materials, composite materials, thermal energy storage

CLC Number: