Phase-Change Material

A phase-change material is a substance chosen for its ability to absorb or release a large amount of energy at the point where it changes state, typically between solid and liquid, so it can store or deliver useful heat or cooling. The underlying physics is latent heat: the energy that goes into melting a solid, known as the enthalpy of fusion, does not raise its temperature, so the material can absorb or give back a lot of energy while staying close to the same temperature at its melting point. Because a phase-change material stores far more energy this way than an equivalent mass of a material that only heats up in the ordinary sense, known as sensible heat storage, it is used to smooth out mismatches between when heat or cooling is produced and when it is needed. Building climate control is described as its biggest potential market, and the technology is expected to become more useful as the cost of renewable electricity keeps falling and the intermittency of wind and solar power increases the value of storing heat and cold for later use. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/