The widespread usage of fossil fuels is attributed significantly to environmental issues such as air pollution and global warming. Emissions from coal, natural gas, and petroleum-based fuel are major contributors to the climate crisis. Utilizing renewable energy sources – such as abundant and eco-friendly solar energy – and developing energy-efficient technologies can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Since solar energy is distributed unevenly in the world, developing effective photothermal conversion materials capable of collecting solar energy and converting it directly into usable energy is critical. In this regard, phase change materials (PCMs) are a popular candidate as solar energy storage devices. PCMs can store a tremendous amount of energy and can release/absorb sufficient energy at phase transition to provide useful heating/cooling.
However, practical PCMs suffer…
New efficient phase change microcapsules for storing solar energy
