Professor Zhao Dawei from the Key Laboratory of Characteristic Resources Chemical Engineering and Materials (MOE), Collaborates with Academician Wu Yiqiang and Professor Zuo Yingfeng from CSUFT to Publish Research Findings in Advanced Science

Phase change materials (PCMs), as the core of latent heat thermal energy storage technology, achieve thermal energy storage and release through reversible phase change processes. Combining energy storage with temperature regulation functions, they are ideal candidate materials for developing zero-energy thermal management systems. Currently, organic solid-liquid phase change materials (such as polyethylene glycol, paraffin, fatty acids, etc.) have attracted significant attention due to their high phase change enthalpy, large energy storage density, low cost, and non-toxic nature. However, issues such as liquid phase leakage, significant volume changes, and low mechanical strength during the phase change process severely restrict their practical application.

Wood, as one of the most abundant natural biomass materials on Earth, possesses a hierarchically interconnected pore structure internally, forming a naturally rich network that provides optimized pathways for material transport. Consequently, it is considered an ideal carrier for energy storage materials. Typically, pretreatment processes such as high-temperature heat treatment or delignification are required to enhance its loading capacity, but these treatments often significantly weaken the mechanical properties of the wood. Furthermore, when the ambient temperature exceeds the phase change point, the phase change material transitions from a solid state to a soft elastic or liquid state, causing a mechanical mismatch with the rigid support. This may lead to phase separation and continuous performance degradation, posing particular safety risks in load-bearing applications.

Recently, the team of Professor Zhao Dawei from our university, in collaboration with the team of Academician Wu Yiqiang and Professor Zuo Yingfeng from Central South University of Forestry and Technology, developed a wood-structured stable phase change composite material (DWTP) by regulating the self-assembly of multi-active-site polyethylene glycol combined with in-situ mineralization technology. This material constructs a multi-scale network structure by utilizing gradient hydrogen bonds formed between cellulose molecules and Si─O─Si/PEG. Its phase change enthalpy reaches up to 94.73 J·g⁻¹, and its tensile strength reaches 134.42 MPa, the highest value reported for PCMs to date. Under conditions exceeding the phase change temperature, DWTP can withstand a load more than 110 times its own weight without deformation or leakage. After 50 thermal cycling tests, its phase change performance remains at 97.3%. Outdoor thermal management experiments show that at an ambient temperature of 50°C, a device based on DWTP can achieve a maximum sub-ambient temperature drop of 14.1°C. This biomass-based DWTP achieves an excellent balance between mechanical performance and thermal energy management, representing a significant advancement in the design of next-generation sustainable thermal management materials. On November 25, 2025, the relevant achievements were published in Advanced Science under the title “A Formable Wood-Based Phase Change Materials with Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Thermal Efficiency for Smart Building.” Ya Zhou from Central South University of Forestry and Technology is the first author of the paper, and Academician Wu Yiqiang, Professor Zuo Yingfeng, and Professor Zhao Dawei are the co-corresponding authors.

Figure: Research on Molecular-Scale Construction and Advanced Properties of Biobased Phase Change Materials

Translator: Myradov Tahyr

Reviewer: Luc Thy My Le

Final approval: Wang Meng