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 ICCTPP-2022 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

A review on phase change materials: Development, Types,and

Applications

Vrajesh P Panchamiya*, Amulya Kuchimanchi, Kaustubh G Kulkarni,

Sanjay N Havaldar

School of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace

University, Pune, India, 411038.
*Email: [email protected]

Abstract
Heat-storage materials that can be used to transition from one phase to another are known as
phase change materials (PCM). This review article aims to highlight the history, iterations, and
future value-adding of PCM in the sciences and engineering industries. This study discusses the
many types of phase transition materials, as well as their encapsulations and applications. The
study also includes findings from many experiments conducted around the world in order to offer a
complete picture of overall advancement in the field of PCM.
Keywords: PCM, encapsulation, temperature, heat transfer

1. Introduction
PCMs are commonly used to store thermal energy in thermal storage batteries. The technology
underpinning the storage system, as well as its research and experiments, are the focus of this review
study. The study also looks at different types of PCMs and how they might be used to provide a variety
of solutions to consumers all over the world. The interest in the encapsulation process in the review
study is also relevant to the numerous readings and tests which were done on PCMs to improve their
efficiency.

Figure 1. Different kinds of thermal energy storage materials [1].

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
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Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

2. About Phase Change Materials

Xie et. al. tells us about the fundamentals of Phase Change Materials and how various research
approaches were established to advance energy storage and the Phase Change Material efficiencies. For
optimization, we saw that while selecting a PCM, two factors should be considered: latent heat and
phase transition temperature. As seen in Table 1, the heat loss of a spherical tank with PCM is minimal
because of the geometry of the phase change module. However, because of the intricacy of the space
occupied by the tank and the manufacturing process, using a cylindrical water tank with Phase Change
Material is more rational and practicable. The paper also gave us learnings about their encapsulation
types [3].

Table 1. Types of encapsulations, their advantages and disadvantages [3].

Types Advantages Disadvantages

Rectangular Easy manufacturing process High heat loss rate

Occupies less space Chances of leakage

Cylindrical High filling rate of PCM and smooth flow Complex manufacturing
of fluid. process

Spherical Heat transfer efficiency is higher that is, Occupies more space
lesser heat losses Complicated PCM filling

Micro- Encapsulation efficiency is higher. Complex manufacturing

encapsulation Smaller size particles process
Improved heat transfer efficiency is High manufacturing costs
achieved.

Figure 2. Solar System Process of capturing and storage [4]

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 ICCTPP-2022 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

M. Mofijur and colleagues describe the advantages of adopting Phase Change Materials as well as
how to use them effectively. Excess energy can be saved for later use, decreasing waste and
improving efficiency. Phase Transition Materials are useful for storing significant amounts of
energy, which is related to the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a change in its phase
that occurs without changing its temperature. Conduction and convection are two modes of heat
transport that occur inside the Phase Change Materials during the changeover process. Improved
heat transport strategies can increase conduction while decreasing convection. Solar water heaters
have taken a lot of time and effort from researchers. A variety of phase change materials are
readily available for use and study in solar water heaters. Figure 2 above shows the method of
storage and capture of solar heat. Methods for enhancing and optimizing phase change material
heat transport should be the focus of future research. To ensure favorable societal results, more
research into the creation of efficient and cost-effective Phase Change Materials with fewer
ageing effects for solar thermal energy storage is needed [4].

Sharma et. al. proposed conducting research on greater temperature ranges as well as temperature
fluctuations throughout the day. There is no research available for places with a temperature
differential of more than 20 degrees Celsius between day and night, such as deserts. Furthermore,
there are no international technical standards for diagnosing the conductivity of heat of PCMs. As
a result, in order to ensure the thermo- physical properties of innovative materials, researchers must
undertake repetitive labor, and as a result, results vary from one researcher to the next [5].

An organic phase change material (PCM) has the ability to soak in and release a significant quantity
of latent heat across a wide temperature range during the phase change process. The use of PCMs
in energy storage and thermal insulation has been studied scientifically and industrially in a
variety of applications. Organic PCMs include paraffin, fatty acids, and polyethylene glycol. They
are non-toxic, have a quick nucleation rate, and a continuous phase shift.

The information gathered from a database of roughly 7000 compounds was examined by Kahwaji
et. al with an emphasis on the nine chemical families of alkanes (paraffin’s), fatty acids, fatty
alcohols, esters, diamines, dioic acids, di-nitriles, diamides, and diols. Compounds with strong
hydrogen bonding interactions have the greatest melting points for a given number of carbons in
the backbone, according to a comparison of the melting tem - prelatures of these nine families.
More research on the characteristics of diamines, dinitriles, diols, dioic acids, and diamines, as
well as their usefulness as phase change materials, is suggested in the publication. Long-term
thermal cycling studies utilizing established methods are lacking for the vast majority of potential
phase change materials, and such data would considerably advance the research [6].

Li et al. used environmental SEM and differential scanning calorimetry to investigate the materials'
microstructure and thermal performance. According to their findings, the NG layers were randomly
dispersed in the paraffin, and the thermal conductivity increased with the amount of NG available. The
temp of the paraffin phase change was unaffected by the NG concentration. The NG/paraffin
composite. PCM has a slightly lower phase change temp than paraffin [7].

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

3. Types of PCMs

Table 2. Types of Phase change materials about here [5].

PCM Types Sub-types

Organic type PCM A. Paraffin

B. Non-paraffin

Inorganic type PCM A. Salt hydrates

B. Metallic

Eutectic type PCM A. Organic-organic

B. Inorganic-inorganic

3.1 Organic PCMs

The influence of Ag nanoparticles on the ability of a material to conduct/transfer the heat of PCM was
explored by J. L. Zeng and colleagues. As a phase change material, 1-tetradecanol (TD) was used. The
thermal conductivity assessment technique, TG-DSC, IR, XRD, and TEM were used to examine a range
of nano-Ag-TD composite materials in an aqueous solution. As the quantity of Ag nanoparticles in the
composite material grew, so did its thermal conductivity. Despite the fact that their phase change
temperature was somewhat lower than pure TD, their phase change enthalpy was proportionate to the
amount of TD loaded. The composite materials' thermal stability was equivalent to that of pure TD [8].
The contact between the Ag nanoparticles and the TD appeared to be weak.

3.2 Inorganic PCMs

Salt hydrates are one of the most commonly used inorganic PCMs. They come in a range of phase
transition temperatures for thermal energy storage (TES) applications. The materials have a high energy
absorption/release value, strong conductivity of heat value, low cost, and also are non-flammable, which
makes them ideal for TES applications. Metals may be corroded by inorganic PCMs. However, this may
be avoided by microencapsulating them in non-reactive polymers.

Charging-discharging kinetics along with thermal conductivity of an inorganic PCM44 with carbon
fibers were investigated by F. Frusteri et al. According to the hot wire approach, the thermal
conductivity of the mixture rises linearly as the carbon fiber loading grows. Carbon fibers have been
shown to improve the heat transmission rate in the PCM system, reducing the time required for phase
transitions. A linear relationship between carbon fiber loading and heat conductivity was discovered
using the "hot wire" method, according to the experimental data [9].

Refat Al-Shannaq and colleagues compared a non-graphite sphere (hollow plastic sphere) with the same
amount of PCM to a unique polymer-coated crushed expanded graphite sphere with PCM that was
effectively constructed. SEM was used to investigate the microstructure of compressed expanded
graphite and graphite-Phase Change Material composites. The Phase Change Material entirely filled the
pores and adhered to the graphite surfaces as a thin layer, according to the findings. After 200 heat cycles,
the graphite PCM composite spheres showed no discernible variations in heat characteristics. Although
the use of compressed graphite matrix reduces the energy density of the Phase Change Material

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 ICCTPP-2022 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

somewhat, the large improvement in heat transmission more than compensates for this little reduction.
[10].

Rahayu et al. conducted tests in a tiny, adiabatic environment, utilizing an Arduino microcontroller and
an LM35 temp. sensor linked to a computer to take time-temperature data instinctively. Carbon Oxide
and CaCl2.6H2O perform better than water as a TES means for use at room temp. conditioning systems
with a working temp. range of 15-28C and water as the medium of the environment. This is owing to the
fact that in this temperature range, CO and CaCl2.6H2O absorb both sensible and latent heats,
whereas water only absorbs sensible heat [11].

3.3 Eutectic PCMs

A combination of 2 or more organic PCMs is known as an organic eutectic PCM. It behaves like a
single component, freezing to an intimate combination of crystals and melting all at the same time. For
TES systems, a vast range of organic eutectics may be customized to practically any required melting
point. Cyclic heating and cooling have no effect on Eutectic PCMs. Sharma et al talk about developing
eutectic Phase Change Materials and seeing the life expectancies of the same.

Sharma and colleagues talk about the evolution of eutectic PCMs and how long they may last.
Polyethylene glycol 2000 and 6000, which are organic molecules with melting temperatures of 50 to
55°C and 59 to 64°C, respectively, were utilized. To investigate the thermal stability of the eutectic
mixture, an accelerated thermal cycle test was performed on a 50:50 composition by weight percent (U5)
in the temperature ranges of 30°C–120°C, as indicated in Table 3 below. Throughout the procedure,
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis was used. A continuous reduction in the values of latent
heat was discovered after 1500 cycles, with a total variation of 8%. Overall, the article stated that this
material may be used as a phase change material for thermal energy storage for a minimum of 5 years,
assuming 300 melt/freeze cycles occur per year [12].

Table 3. Sample Readings for various Combinations [12].

Name of Combination PEG 2000: Melting temperature Latent Heat of Fusion

sample PEG 6000 (°C) (Joule/gram)

PEG 6K 0:100 59.5 220.0

U1 10:90 57.5 205.4

U2 20:80 56.5 208.2

U3 30:70 54.5 200.5

U4 40:60 54.0 196.6

U5 50:50 53.5 190.0

U6 60:40 52.0 184.7

U7 70:30 51.5 179.5

U8 80:20 51.0 174.0

U9 90:10 50.5 169.5

PEG 2K 100:0 50.0 165.3

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 ICCTPP-2022 IOP Publishing
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

3.4 Encapsulation
Encasing microscopic particles or droplets in the polymeric material to create capsules is known as
micro-encapsulation. In its most basic form, a microcapsule is a tiny sphere with a homogeneous wall
around it. The core of the microcapsule is the material inside, while the shell is the material on the
outside. Microcapsules typically have a diameter of a few micrometers to a few millimeters.
Diaconu et al. tested a new micro-encapsulated PCM slurry with micro-encapsulated Rubitherm
RT6 at a high composition (45% w/w) utilising micro-encapsulated Rubitherm RT6. In this
experiment, DSC Analysis was employed. Experiments have been carried out to see if certain
thermal repository quality and heat transmission characteristics are suitable for use in a low-
temperature thermal repository system for solar air conditioning applications. The primary goal of
the research was to find natural convection heat transfer connections. After then, the results were
compared to the PCM slurry observations. They discovered that the heat transfer coefficient for
Phase Transition Material slurry was greater than for water under equal temperature circumstances
inside the phase change interval [14].

The technique of macro-encapsulation PCM was outlined by Höhlein et al. The technique was
thoroughly detailed, with special emphasis on encapsulating inorganic PCMs in metal capsules.
The results show that the concluding shape of a macro-capsule is determined by several upstream
process stages rather than a factor of choice. The paper talks of encapsulation methods like
corrosion protection, sealing methods and various material usage. The developed macro-capsules
are really expensive from an economical point of view, which is primarily due to the individual
manufacturing. Low-cost encapsulation approaches based on food or mass- produced aluminum
cans are presented as a cost-effective alternative for future development. [15].

Tumirah et al conducted experiments using TEM and FESEM to investigate the morphology of n-
octadecane nano-capsules. The size distribution of nano-capsules may also be determined using these
methods. The greatest nano-encapsulation effectiveness was obtained under experimental settings with a
spherical form, uni-modal distribution, smooth and compact surface, and a St/MMA mass ratio of four.
After 360 heating/cooling cycles, the nano- capsules showed good thermal stability. Based on a number
of findings, it can be concluded that the developed nano- encapsulated phase change material has a
promising future as a thermal energy storage material. [16].

Ma et al. used a suspension-like polymerization approach to create a range of micro-PCMs. According

to SEM pictures, the micro-PCMs exhibited smooth, compact surfaces and generally spherical forms.
These micro-Phase Change Materials had a micro-encapsulation ratio of 46–68 weight percent. The
micro-phase change materials exhibited outstanding dependability after 500 thermal-cycling tests, with
the microencapsulation ratio falling by less than 4 percent. According to TGA studies, micro-phase
change materials may also sustain thermal stability below 210 °C [17].

4. Applications of Phase Change Materials

Solar cooling and solar power plants, photovoltaic energy systems, the space industry, waste heat
recovery systems, food and pharmaceutical product preservation, and domestic hot water are just a
few of the applications for PCMs. When there is an excess of energy, PCMs employ the concept of
latent heat repository to absorb it in huge amounts and release it when there is a deficiency. This
innovative technology has already been used in a number of building projects with great success.

In a 16m2 Scheffler parabolic dish solar concentrator, Senthil et al advocated using PCM in the receiver

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

to enhance heat transmission. A hydrate that is the hexahydrate form of magnesium chloride with a
melting temp. of 117 degrees Celsius was chosen as the PCM in the annular space of the receiver, with
rectangular fins inside Phase Change Material. The addition of PCM to the receiver enhanced the
parabolic dish solar concentrator's energy efficiency by about 62 percent. The PCM housing, in addition
to the receiver's incident circular surface, improves the functional thermal transmit area and boosts the
receiver's thermal capacity in the absence of solar light for many minutes. The collector efficiency is
increased by the PCM integrated receiver’s good heat dispersion [18].
According to Rodriguez-Ubinas et al., PCMs can enable lightweight buildings to retain thermal
energy. Well-planned bulky structures have adequate heat mass to stable out daily temp. fluctuations in
places with a large diurnal temp. range, but this is not the case with light structures, which have
limited thermal energy storage capacity. By complementing the presence and demand of heat energy in
terms of power and time, Local Heat Transfer Simulation can help improve the interior thermal
performance of such a building. Because of the lightweight construction, PCM applications based
on LHTS may contribute to higher energy efficiency andrenewable energy consumption [19].

Malan et al. presented an experiment in which they built a modular PCS system with heat pipes with
fins to increase heat transfer rates through the storage medium. Phase transition materials soak or
liberate heat at near-constant temp. during the melting and solidification processes. When a high- temp.
the thermal source is required as a heat input for the turbine within a short temperature range, this is a
highly sought attribute in power generation. This system has not yet been tweaked, and a cascaded
phase change material system can be used to get even more thermodynamic advantages. This might lead
to greater solar energy efficiency and effectiveness [20].

The study, according to Laing et al., involved the testing of a high-temperature PCM repository module
for steam production at a 1 Mega-Watt test facility, as well as unique model creation on CAD software.
The arrangement was tested in 3 distinct working modes, all of which were good. However, the
technology may be further studied and enhanced for overall storage system cost reduction. FEM was
also used to generate a novel fin design for PCM storage built of extruded longitudinal Al profiles. At
the same time, the novel fin design was successfully tested in a lab-scale module [21].

In a dish-micro gas turbine system, Bashira et al. shed light on how to eliminate temperature differences
induced by natural sun flux oscillations. In view of this issue, a unique solar receiver with a PCM for a
limited time of heat energy storage has been proposed. As illustrated in figure 3, the recommended
receiver has a conical chamber on the front surface and heat transfer fluid tubes submerged in PCM. In
this study, the size of the receiver cavity, incident solar radiation, hot wall thickness, tube diameter and
number of tubes, pressure drop inside the tubes, and input mass flow rate all play a role [22].

Figure 3. Schematic diagram of Dish-Micro Gas Turbine power plant [22].

5. Conclusion

A lot of research has gone into creating improved ways to employ phase transition materials. The

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Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2426 (2023) 012033 doi:10.1088/1742-6596/2426/1/012033

performance of several types of PCMs is investigated in this review research. Inorganic PCMs have
been proven to be the most widely used. PCMs are now limited to heating and cooling
applications, but their range and uses can be broadened with more research and testing. Green
building construction is now the subject of study and testing. By mixing different weight
percentages of components, the melting point of the PCMs may be changed, providing them an
edge over other forms of PCMs. To increase the efficiency of our products, we can focus on
technologies such as nano-encapsulation and micro-encapsulation.

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