INNOVATION
Flexible PCMs have flexible applications
CIC energiGUNE (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain) is developing flexible PCM materials that it says could transform fabric into a functional material that regulates temperature and even stores thermal energy. Such flexible thermal management could have a number of applications, including wearables, sportswear, health, personal mobility, and advanced thermal management.
These new developments make it possible to integrate thermal management capabilities directly into fibers and flexible films without compromising on comfort, lightness, or ergonomics, according to the research center.
Mikel Duran, a thermal storage researcher at CIC energiGUNE, answered questions about the new technology by email.
Q: How do your flexible PCMs differ from existing smart textiles that use PCM?
A: Our PCMs are encapsulated directly within polymer fibers, providing greater thermal management and energy storage capacity than current solutions based on microcapsules. In addition, our moldable solid PCMs have the potential to be integrated more easily than existing macroencapsulated solid–liquid PCM solutions.
Q: What is the current stage of research?
A: The materials have currently been validated at laboratory scale and the next objective is to test their performance under real operating conditions.
Q: Do you have research partners?
A: We are actively exploring collaboration opportunities with companies and research partners to test and validate our materials under real-world conditions. Our objective is to address the key challenges associated with the adoption of this technology, particularly compatibility with existing textile manufacturing processes and integration into applications such as sportswear, personal protective equipment, and other technical textile products.
Q: What are the specs for the flexible PCMs?
A: The materials can be designed to operate within a temperature range of approximately 18–45°C and can contain more than 85% active PCM material — reaching up to 98% for some formulations.
Q: Do you have a pipeline to market?
A: The synthesis methods we are currently using are relatively straightforward to scale up, which is promising from a commercialization perspective. However, further validation is still required to confirm compatibility with existing industrial manufacturing processes.
Q: What markets are you prioritizing?
A: Our priority markets include technical textiles, high-performance sportswear, healthcare applications, and personal protective equipment.
Q: Do you have any last thoughts?
A: Interest in this field is growing rapidly. We are already seeing the first applications in high-performance sports, while concerns about the effects of extreme temperatures on workers and older adults are becoming increasingly prominent. This positive trend could accelerate the development, validation, and adoption of these technologies, potentially reducing the time required for them to reach the market.
RE-BRAND
Pluss renames and relaunches Celsure line
Pluss Advanced Technologies (Gurugram, India) announced the launch of Celsure Endura, reusable cold-chain shipping solutions for pharmaceutical and healthcare applications in the Indian and African markets. Celsure Endura is powered entirely by phase-change material (PCM) technology to deliver precise temperature maintenance for at least 120 hours, regardless of the season.
Celsure Endura, which was formerly named Celsure VIP, is available across a range of temperature profiles, including 2–8°C, 15–25°C, and -15°C to -25°C, and a capacity range from 8L to 125L. The company said its lightweight, reusable design enables cost-efficient transportation while enhancing product safety and sustainability. Pluss says 80% of materials for the shippers are sourced in India.
Celsure Endura is also available through a rental program.
INFORMATION SHARING
Review identifies databases that can aid PCM research
A cohort of thermal energy experts reviewed 30 of the most relevant and widely used thermal energy storage (TES) databases for academic and industrial R&D projects to identify coverage gaps and opportunities for improved interoperability.
The review revealed three primary findings. First, material-level data dominate the TES database landscape, with thermophysical and chemical property databases having the greatest shares. This trend is particularly true for phase change materials (PCM). Second, TES databases at component and system levels are largely underrepresented in domain mapping. The review found that there is a need to focus future R&D efforts on standardized test methods, round-robin/interlaboratory comparisons, best practices, and reporting guidelines to improve data comparability, especially for PCM technologies. Third, field-performance data is mainly found for large-scale sensible heat storage systems and is lacking for latent heat storage technologies.
The review identified two of the most relevant databases for PCM research. The first is the IEA Energy Storage TCP Task 48’s thermal materials experimental database that provides standards-compliant thermophysical data for PCMs and TCMs developed within IEA Energy Storage TCP Task 48. Researchers can register as users and upload their measurement data. The second is the Austrian Institute of Technology’s (AIT) solid–liquid PCM library slPCMlib, a correlation-based database providing temperature-dependent effective thermophysical properties and liquid-fraction data for nearly 280 commercial PCMs.
The four experts who conducted the review are: Giordano Fabrizia, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH; Christoph Rathgeber, Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern); Stefan Gschwander, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE; and Tilman Barz, AIT.
IN BRIEF
• On July 1, Niels Deen was appointed scientific director of the Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES), succeeding founding director Richard van de Sanden, who will return to the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research as group leader. Deen, who has been involved with EIRES (Eindhoven, the Netherlands) since its founding in 2020, said his focus will be on strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration and accelerating innovation in renewable energy systems. “EIRES is for researchers, by researchers. Our most important task as an institute is to bridge disciplines and connect scientists so they can develop larger-scale programs and actually help accelerate the energy transition,” he said.
• Cold Chain Technologies (CCT) opened a new 100,000-square-foot facility in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for its passive cold-chain solutions for pharmaceutical and life sciences customers. The new facility will benefit customers in the Northeast United States by reducing lead times, lowering freight distances, and moving reliable temperature-controlled packaging closer to where it’s needed, the company said. CCT is also growing operations in the EU by expanding its EcoFlex reusable cold-chain shipping parcels for pharmaceuticals across Europe. EcoFlex, which is designed for regional and last-mile product distribution, can reduce use of fossil fuels by up to 60.3% compared with standard shipping boxes, according to CCT. The expansion also offers customers a leasing option; the ReNew program, a system that manages reverse logistics and tracks parcels; and a Track Your Landfill Avoidance tool.
• Rubitherm Technologies GmbH (Berlin, Germany) created PhaseBull, a prototype that provides cooling for larger offices without an outsized footprint or energy bills. PhaseBull uses eight PhaseCubes in a compact set-up to form a scalable PCM thermal battery for air-based cooling. The system provides a storage capacity of 8 kWh. Rubitherm said the distinctive pipework and charged performance inspired the Phasebull name. The company installed the system at its office using two PCMs: SP21EK and SP25E.
• Sunamp (Macmerry, Scotland) announced that it has secured European patent EP4301826 for its work on nucleating agents for sub-zero phase-change materials (PCMs). Reducing the energy required to charge these materials supports more efficient thermal storage for low-temperature applications, according to the company. Sunamp recognized HGF Europe LLP Germany for its support and advice. Sunamp also signed a partnership agreement with Urel Engineering (Ankara, Turkey) to introduce its Central Bank range of PCM thermal storage products to the Turkish market. Under the partnership, Urel will introduce Sunamp’s Central Bank products to customers in sectors where industrial heat demand is high and pressure to reduce energy costs is growing. Berkin Izdar, Urel’s founder, said: “There are six key sectors where we believe Sunamp’s technology is a strong fit: textiles, food and beverage, paper, feed, chemical, and petrochemical. These industries are highly heat intensive. … We believe Sunamp’s thermal storage technology can offer a practical and commercially attractive route to lower energy use and lower emissions.”
• The HYSTORE project is making available to researchers and engineers its repository of open-source software, digital assets, and technical resources that are designed to build smarter, interoperable heating and cooling systems. Included are tools to optimize thermal storage dynamics within smart grids, frameworks designed to integrate heating/cooling networks into broader energy systems, and reusable assets intended to serve as a foundation for research beyond the project lifecycle. HYSTORE partners include ARCbcn, Engineering & Innovation – WATTEGA (Barcelona, Spain), Rubitherm Technologies GmbH (Berlin, Germany), CNR ITAE (Messina, Italy), AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (Vienna), and Sorption Technologies (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany).
• Pluss Advanced Technologies (Gurugram, India) has moved its EU operations from a small sales office in Den BosBosch, the Netherlands, to a full-scale operation at a 1,200-square-meter facility, which includes 700 square meters for PCM manufacturing and 150 square meters for labs and climate chambers. Pluss says the move will allow it to manufacture, package, and develop PCM solutions in the EU.
• Sleepmax (Palghar, India) has incorporated a new Tempwave PCM into its Sleepmax Podium hybrid mattress, which is designed for athletes. With Tempwave PCM, the Pulse Latex-like foam helps lower body temperature during deep sleep and releases heat during REM sleep.
The company says that the hybrid mattress, which it claims costs less than mattresses that use PCM technology, is only available in the United States.
• Industry experts are invited to participate in a free thermal energy storage (TES) industry workshop on Sept. 14 at the University Freiburg – KGI (Germany). Experts from Task 47 and Task 48, both joint activities of the IEA Energy Storage TCP and the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme, will present ongoing work and recent developments in materials and components for high-temperature sensible heat storage, phase-change materials, and thermochemical energy storage. The workshop seeks to learn from industry experts which challenges are most relevant to their work, which developments are needed, and where research should focus. The workshop is being held on the first day of the EuroSun2026 Conference, which is also being held in Freiberg. Contact Christopher Rathgeber at Christoph.Rathgeber@zae-bayern.de or Wim Van Helden at w.vanhelden@aee.at for additional information or to register for the event.
• The National Laboratory of the Rockies (Golden, Colorado) is collaborating with ExxonMobil to launch Accelerate, a program to help innovators overcome scaling and commercialization challenges. Accelerate is seeking U.S. innovators that are developing technologies in advanced materials, including phase-change materials and cooling fluids. Selected applicants will receive technical assistance from NLR experts and ExxonMobil worth $250,000.
• Student-led Team Sea Sakthi from Kumaraguru College of Technology (Coimbatore, India) won the Foundation Prince Albert II Award at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge, thanks to its advanced three-module lithium-ion battery pack integrated with custom-designed cell brackets and a cooling system made of a paraffin wax and expanded graphite phase-change material (PCM). The battery solution could be adapted for electric vehicles, autonomous systems, and other battery-powered mobility solutions, the team said.
• Azenta, Inc., (Burlington, Massachusetts) announced that the sale of its B Medical Systems (Hosingen, Luxembourg) business to Thelema S.à r.l. for $63 million was completed on July 1.
• Doctoral students, early-career researchers, and industry engineers are invited to register for the 6th International Summer School on Thermal Energy Storage (TES2026) at the University of Padova (Italy) from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. Participants will have the opportunity to hear leading international experts discuss advances in latent thermal energy storage systems, from materials development to real-world applications; to build collaborations; and to expand their networks. The summer school is co-chaired by Dario Guarda of the University of Padova, Rebecca Ravotti of the Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture (Switzerland), and Gabriel Zsembinszki of the University of Lleida (Spain)
• HEATWISE will present the results of three years of research, innovation, and pilot demonstrations across the EU in its final conference, “From Thermal Waste to Energy Asset,” on Nov. 18 in Budapest, Hungary. Project partners, industry experts, and stakeholders will share key findings from the five pilot sites, discuss lessons learned, and explore the future of waste heat recovery for data centers, buildings, and district energy networks.
• Session recordings and presentations from 2Cool2Waste’s cluster webinar “The Future of Energy Efficiency: Practical Solutions for Heat Recovery and Electrification,” which was held as part of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2026. Researchers, industry representatives, policymakers, and energy stakeholders exchanged knowledge and discussed projects related to heat recovery and reuse, electrification of heating and cooling systems, thermal energy management, industrial and district heating and cooling networks, flexible and integrated energy systems, and net-zero industrial technologies.
JOBS
• Cold Chain Technologies is hiring across a range of roles and locations. Check out all of its current vacancies.
PATENTS
Electric motor for a motor vehicle with improved cooling of a rotor thereof
U.S. patent application 20260196904 (applicant Ferrari S.P.A., Modena, Italy):
„An electric motor comprises a stator and a rotor rotatable around a rotor axis fixed with respect to the stator. The rotor
comprises a phase change material solid or semi-solid at ambient temperature and adapted to liquefy at a liquefaction temperature within a range of operating temperatures of the electric motor.“
More U.S. patent applications:
Thermostable system for hot goods and preparation thereof (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India, and Createcomm Tech Private Ltd., Gurugram, India.) | Infill material for artificial turf and artificial turf with passive temperature control (APT Asia Pacific Pty., Ltd., Dandenong, Australia.) | Cooling neck band (Chang Geun AN,, Busan, South Korea.)
RESEARCH ROUNDUP
From Applied Thermal Engineering:
• Enhancing thermal performance of cross-laminated timber using phase change materials for energy efficient building envelopes
• Eutectic composite phase change material based on dodecanol/lauric acid for battery preheating and thermal insulation in low-temperature environments
• Dynamic melting response of nano-enhanced phase change material under vibrational resonance
• A study on interior temperature regulation and performance on composite phase change material “Breathing Wall” systems for agricultural greenhouse
From Industrial Crops and Products:
From Journal of Building Engineering:
From Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells:
From Materials Chemistry and Physics:
• Production, characterization and thermal properties of leak-proof poly(ethylene glycol)/ tea waste biochar/waste poly(vinyl chloride) composite phase change materials for thermal energy storage
• Large barocaloric effect in binary fatty alcohols driven by solid-liquid phase transition near room temperature
From Energy and Buildings:
• Experimental study on the heat storage and release characteristics of phase change radiator with hot water circulation under intermittent heating
• A novel hybrid cooling strategy for residential buildings integrating PV-powered AC and PCM thermal energy storage with intermittent operation
From Engineering Science and Technology, an International Journal:
From Energy:
From Polymer Testing:
From Journal of Energy Storage:
• Advanced insulated food container material performance for refrigerated and cooked meals
• Novel Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer rubber panels filled with Phase Change Material and expanded graphite for energy efficiency of buildings
• Development and application of supercooled phase change materials for high-performance diurnal thermal energy storage
• Performance evaluation and comprehensive improvement of a packed-bed latent thermal energy storage system using anisotropic composite phase change materials
From Energy Conversion and Management:
From Construction and Building Materials:
From Academia Green Energy:
• Magnesium chloride saltwater solutions as phase change material for sub-zero thermal energy storage
From ACS Energy Letters:
NETWORKING
Connect with PCM experts and industry leaders on LinkedIn
More than 1,800 people have joined a LinkedIn group devoted to the discussion of phase change material and thermal energy storage. You are invited to join the Phase Change Matters group and connect with PCM and TES experts from around the world.
NEWS TIPS
Does your company, agency or university have a job opening, new research, new product or other news you’d like to share? I would love to hear from you. Please contact newsletter editor Amy Phillips at phasechangematters@gmail.com.
A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
This newsletter is made possible through the generous support of the RAL Quality Association PCM and the members listed below. To learn more about the association, including membership benefits, please contact Stefan Thomann, executive director, at pcm@kellencompany.com.
Axiotherm GmbH | Croda Europe, Ltd. | Hangzhou Ruhr New Material Technology Co., Ltd. (RuhrTech) | ISU Chemical Co. Ltd. | Ningbo Passive Edge Material Co., Ltd. | PCM Technology |PLUSS Advanced Technologies, Ltd. | Rubitherm Technologies GmbH | Sasol Germany GmbH | Sunamp, Ltd. | Associate member: Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (HSLU)