# Recent Advances in Photo-Responsive Microencapsulated Phase-Change Materials

**Authors:** Chaofeng Yang, Binyang Du

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/ma18215014 · 2025-11-03

## TL;DR

This review explores recent developments in light-sensitive microencapsulated materials for energy storage and smart thermal systems.

## Contribution

The paper systematically summarizes recent advancements in photo-responsive microencapsulated phase-change materials over the past five years.

## Key findings

- Photo-responsive MEPCMs show promise in solar energy and thermal management due to their energy storage and conversion capabilities.
- These materials integrate photothermal, photocatalytic, and luminescent functions for applications like pollutant degradation and sensing.
- The review outlines future research directions to improve the practical use of these materials.

## Abstract

Photo-responsive microencapsulated phase-change materials (MEPCMs) are attracting growing interest for their significant potential in solar energy applications and advanced intelligent thermal management systems, owing to their exceptional capacity for thermal energy storage, efficiency for photothermal conversion, and capability for multifunctional integration. This review provides a systematic summary of the advancements in photo-responsive MEPCMs containing photothermal, photocatalytic, and luminescent materials in the past five years, highlighting their potential in energy conversion, pollutant degradation, and intelligent sensing applications. Moreover, perspectives for future research are provided to enhance the practical application of photo-responsive MEPCMs.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** toxicity (MESH:D064420), PCM (MESH:D000210), TES (MESH:D020886), PMPCMs (MESH:C537268), injury to (MESH:D014947)
- **Chemicals:** n-eicosane (MESH:C050821), AgNO3 (MESH:D012835), CTAB (MESH:D000077286), LA (MESH:C030358), BS@PEA (-), MXene (MESH:C000723374), Bi (MESH:D001729), EC (MESH:C013517), SiO2 (MESH:D012822), dopamine (MESH:D004298), 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MESH:C403136), tetracycline (MESH:D013752), PDA (MESH:C568283), docosane (MESH:C470023), aniline (MESH:C023650), S (MESH:D013455), cellulose (MESH:D002482), Metal (MESH:D008670), MoS2 (MESH:C082964), RhB (MESH:C029773), SnO2 (MESH:C045358), PVP (MESH:D011205), WO42- (MESH:C045951), saturated hydrocarbons (MESH:D006838), TEOS (MESH:C040733), Au (MESH:D006046), TiO2 (MESH:C009495), xenon (MESH:D014978), fatty acids (MESH:D005227), CaCO3 (MESH:D002119), PANI (MESH:C416807), Eu (MESH:D005063), N (MESH:D009584), formaldehyde (MESH:D005557), pyrrole (MESH:D011758), DPP (MESH:C000604894), SDS (MESH:D012967), CS (MESH:D048271), OD (MESH:C022883), methanol (MESH:D000432), platinum (MESH:D010984), g-C3N4 (MESH:C000629596), coumarin (MESH:C030123), PC (MESH:C053518), Ce (MESH:D002563), CaWO4 (MESH:C018858), ZnO (MESH:D015034), Salt (MESH:D012492), titanium carbide (MESH:C096521), CdS (MESH:C034939), Ga (MESH:D005708), sodium dodecyl-benzenesulfonate (MESH:C001114), Mn (MESH:D008345), GO (MESH:C000628730), ICG (MESH:D007208), Sn (MESH:D014001), PA (MESH:D010232), CO2 (MESH:D002245), Ag (MESH:D012834), PB (MESH:C000170)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast, species) [taxon 4932]
- **Cell lines:** MPCM-1 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Hybridoma (CVCL_C7RB), MPCM-85 — Homo sapiens (Human), Trisomy 13, Finite cell line (CVCL_H950), MPCM-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Colon carcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_A628)

## Figures

12 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12609360/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12609360