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Thermal management plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of next-generation electronic devices, renewable energy systems, and building thermal regulation. Among thermal management technologies, phase-change materials (PCMs) have attracted considerable attention due to their ability to store and release large amounts of latent heat during nearly isothermal phase transitions [1]. While most research focuses on bulk material optimization through molecular engineering [2,3], material synthesis, and device-level design, the influence of nanoscale confinement on the phase behavior and thermal transport properties of PCMs remains an important research challenge.
In this work, we investigate the effects of nanoconfinement on the thermal transport properties of widely used organic PCMs, including hexadecane, eicosane, docosane, and tricosane [4]. To this end, porous silicon (porSi) matrices with porosities of 45%, 55%, and 65% and a porous layer thickness of approximately 50 µm were fabricated by electrochemical etching of p-type (100) silicon wafers. The thermal conductivity of the resulting porSi/PCM composites was characterized using the gas-microphone photoacoustic technique [5], which also enables non-destructive, in situ investigation of phase transitions and thermophysical properties.
To interpret the experimental results, molecular dynamics simulation data [6] were incorporated into an effective-medium model, providing a link between molecular-scale phenomena and the macroscopic thermal response. This combined approach suggests that the observed increase in thermal conductivity upon PCM crystallization is associated with reduced geometrical frustration of alkane chains and a decrease in interfacial thermal resistance within the confined nanopores.
The results highlight the important role of nanoscale confinement in governing the phase-dependent thermal transport properties of PCMs. Furthermore, porSi/PCM composites provide a versatile model system for combining experimental characterization with molecular-scale simulations, offering valuable insights into heat transfer in confined geometries and supporting the development of advanced materials for thermal management applications.
This publication presents results obtained within the research projects "Development of Advanced Phase Change Composite Systems for Efficient Use of Thermal Energy" (Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, No. 0124U001084) and the ANR project "PROMENADE," No. ANR-23-CE50-0008.
References:
[1] S. Wang et al., “Phase-change materials for thermal management,” 2026, Nature Research. doi: 10.1038/s41578-026-00959-7.
[2] J. Chen et al., “Phase-locked constructing dynamic supramolecular ionic conductive elastomers with superior toughness, autonomous self-healing and recyclability,” Nature Communications, vol. 13, no. 1, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-32517-4.
[3] J. H. Lee and S. H. Kim, “Synthesis and characterization of biopolyurethane crosslinked with castor oil-based hyperbranched polyols as polymeric solid–solid phase change materials,” Sci. Rep., vol. 12, no. 1, Dec. 2022, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-17390-x.
[4] S. Kahwaji and M. A. White, “Organic phase change materials for thermal energy storage: Influence of molecular structure on properties,” Nov. 01, 2021, MDPI. doi: 10.3390/molecules26216635.
[5] P. Lishchuk et al., “Thermal transport properties of porous silicon filled by ionic liquid nanocomposite system,” Sci. Rep., vol. 13, no. 1, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-32834-8.
[6] V. Mandrolko and M. Isaiev, “Tailored thermal transport in phase change materials-based nanocomposites through interfacial structuring,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 172, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.110544.
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