Recent advances in low-temperature phase change materials for cold chain logistics

Recent advances in low-temperature phase change materials for cold chain logistics

International Journal of Refrigeration

10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.03.011

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.03.011

Xiang Yun Debbie Soo, Pin Jin Ong, Yee Kiat Zachary Lim, Suxi Wang, Warintorn Thitsartarn, Fuke Wang, Junhua Kong, Rong Ji, Nikodem Tomczak, Beng Hoon Tan, Pei Wang, Jianwei Xu, Xian Jun Loh, Qiang Zhu

phase change materials, cold chain logistics

08 March 2025

Soo, X. Y. D., Ong, P. J., Lim, Y. K. Z., Wang, S., Thitsartarn, W., Wang, F., Kong, J., Ji, R., Tomczak, N., Tan, B. H., Wang, P., Xu, J., Loh, X. J., & Zhu, Q. (2025). Recent advances in low-temperature phase change materials for cold chain logistics. International Journal of Refrigeration, 174, 232–251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2025.03.011

Globalization, expanding trade, and rising living standards have intensified the demand for cold chain logistics by requiring the preservation of unaltered product quality from production to final consumer use. In this regard, maintaining a strict temperature regime during transportation is imperative. Among the solutions, passive cooling using phase change materials (PCMs) has been an important technology for cold chain logistics, due to its reusability, portability, and energy and cost savings. Significant efforts have been directed toward addressing key issues of PCMs such as functionality across different temperature ranges, supercooling, phase separation, poor thermal conductivity, and leakage. We evaluate the recent developments in organic, inorganic, eutectic, and polymer-gel PCM technologies, including PCM properties and performance characterization methods. We also compare the advanced simulations and predictions of PCM performance with the performance of actual products. The insights gathered here will inform researchers on new PCM research avenues, technological strategies, and product formulations.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

This research / project is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore - Low-Carbon Energy Research
Grant Reference no. : U2305D4001

https://oar.a-star.edu.sg/communities-collections/articles/21670

0140-7007

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering