Technology Growth Opportunities in Phase Change Materials: R&D and IP Analysis
Phase change materials (PCMs) are substances that absorb and release appropriate amounts of energy during phase transitions, including solid to liquid, solid to solid, gas to liquid, and solid to gas; they deliver useful heat or cooling. The energy that the phase transition generates is effective in different commercial applications that require stable temperatures and energy storage. PCMs store and release large amounts of energy by melting and solidifying material at the phase change temperature and are more efficient than sensible heat storage. PCMs are also latent heat storage (LHS) materials that release or absorb energy in the form of heat owing to the material structure's internal rearrangement.
Topics This Study Covers:
PCMs—overview of material types and application trends
Factors driving the adoption and development of new technologies
Technology ecosystem—recent innovations and stakeholders
Technology analysis—comparative assessment of technologies and their readiness level (TRL)
Noteworthy companies in action
Patent analysis of PCM technologies
Growth opportunities in PCM technologies
Frost & Sullivan has identified key areas of technology development for PCMs, categorized into the following domains.
Materials: solid-liquid, solid-solid, gas-liquid, solid-gas, biobased, and nano-enhanced PCMs
End-use applications: automotive; telecommunications; aerospace and defense; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; electronics; building and construction; cold chain and packaging; textile; energy; and healthcare
PCM manufacturers have increased their R&D investment in low-cost PCMs with high energy storage capacity. Stringent environmental policies pertaining to carbon dioxide emissions are driving PCM manufacturers to form strategic partnerships with research universities and energy companies to adopt sustainable and energy-efficient materials. Factors such as the need for low-cost, enhanced latent heat; improved energy storage capacity; and favorable government policies are driving the PCMs technology landscape.
Key Points Discussed:
What are the emerging technologies for PCMs?
What are the R&D efforts in new material technologies for improved energy efficiency and high latent heat of fusion?
What are the new trends, applications, and commercialization stages of PCMs?
What are the growth opportunities for technology developers and end consumers in PCM technologies?
- Strategic Imperatives
- Why Is It Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
- The Strategic Imperative 8
- The Impact of the Top 3 Strategic Imperatives on the Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Industry
- Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine
- Research Methodology
- Scope and Segmentation
- Research Scope and Segmentation
- Energy Storage and Stable Temperature Requirements Driving Demand for PCMs
- Needs for and Benefits of PCMs
- Favorable Government Policies to Achieve Sustainability Goals Drive Demand for PCMs
- Material Compatibility, Cost, and Availability Are PCMs' Main Restraints
- Growth Opportunity Analysis
- Selection Criteria for PCMs
- Organic, Inorganic, and Eutectic PCMs Are Widely-used Technologies in Commercial Applications
- Bio-based and Nano-enhanced PCMs Receive Significant Attention for Enhanced Energy Efficiency
- Benefits and Restraints of Commercialized PCMs
- Technology Analysis
- Increasing Need for Electronics Thermal Management Driving Demand for Paraffin-based PCMs
- Ease of Availability and Environmental Benefits Driving Fatty Acids PCM Adoption
- Improved Sustainability and Greater Chemical Stability Driving Esterbased PCMs' Technology Development
- Glycols as Promising PCM Technology for Wide Range of Applications Owing to Tunable Melting Temperature
- Hydrated Salt PCMs as Promising Applications to Reduce Residential Air Conditioning Peak Demand
- Improved Chemical Properties, Hardness, Machinability, and Corrosion Resistance Driving Demand for Metal Alloy PCM Technology
- Improved Leakage Protection Driving Demand for Double Hydroxidebased PCM Composites
- Increasing Demand for Cold Chain Logistics Driving Development of Eutectic PCMs
- Sugar Alcohol-based PCMs as Promising Applications for Seasonal Energy Storage
- Enhanced Biocompatibility and Solubility Driving Development of Modified PEG-based PCMs
- PU-based PCMs Providing Ease of Availability and Low-cost Production
- Excellent Abrasion and Low Rolling Resistance Supporting PBD PCM Development
- PEX PCMs Providing Higher Stability than Liquid-Solid PCMs for Energy Storage Applications
- Gas-Liquid PCMs Providing Improved Latent Phase Change Heat
- High Latent Heat Transition of Solid-Gas PCMs Driving Interest for Energy Storage Applications
- Growing Concern over Fossil Fuel-based Materials Driving Bio-based PCM R&D
- Increasing Adoption of Nano-enhanced PCMs for Latent Energy Storage Applications
- Application Outlook
- PCMs: Application Outlook
- PCM Technological Development to Address Restraints and Unmet Needs
- Solid-Liquid-based PCMs-Comparative Application Potential
- Solid-Solid-based PCMs-Comparative Application Potential
- Emerging PCMs-Comparative Application Potential
- Innovation Landscape
- Stakeholders Developing PCMs and Technologies
- Research Institutes Active in PCM R&D
- Majority of Public Funding for Improving PCMs' Energy Capacity
- Additional Funding for the Development of Optimized TESSs
- Intellectual Property (IP) Analysis
- IP Analysis Indicates Increase in PCM Patent Filing from 2017 to 2021
- Electronic Companies Filing the Most IPs for PCM Technologies
- Solid-Liquid, Gas-Liquid, and Nano-enhanced PCMs Registered the Most Patent Filings from 2017 to 2021
- Top Assignee Breakdown by Materials Usage for PCMs, 2017-2021
- Patent Share by Top Application of PCMs, 2017-2021
- Analyst Perspectives: Adoption Roadmap of Phase Change Materials
- PCMs for EVs, Aerospace, and Biomedical Applications Will Grow
- Growth Opportunity Universe
- Growth Opportunity 1: Development of Gas-Liquid- and Solid-Gasbased PCMs with High Stability, Latent Heat Transition, and Efficiency for Energy Storage
- Growth Opportunity 2: Temperature/pH Dual-Stimuli-Responsive Phase Change Microcapsules (Dual-SR-MEPCM) for Drug Delivery and Thermotherapy
- Growth Opportunity 3: Bio-based PCM with High Intrinsic Thermal Conductivities and Storage Densities for Smart Textile Fabrication
- Growth Opportunity 4: Nano-scale PCM to Address Demands such as High Heat Transfer Efficiency and Large Specific Surface Area in Nonvolatile Memory and Neuro-inspired Computing
- Appendix
- Technology Readiness Levels (TRL): Explanation
- Next Steps
- Your Next Steps
- Why Frost, Why Now?
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