Recent advances in low-temperature phase change materials for cold chain logistics.

Globalization, expanding trade, and rising living standards have intensified the demand for cold chain logistics by requiring the preservation of unaltered product quality from production to final consumer use. In this regard, maintaining a strict temperature regime during transportation is imperative. Among the solutions, passive cooling using phase change materials (PCMs) has been an important technology for cold chain logistics, due to its reusability, portability, and energy and cost savings. Significant efforts have been directed toward addressing key issues of PCMs such as functionality across different temperature ranges, supercooling, phase separation, poor thermal conductivity, and leakage. We evaluate the recent developments in organic, inorganic, eutectic, and polymer-gel PCM technologies, including PCM properties and performance characterization methods. We also compare the advanced simulations and predictions of PCM performance with the performance of actual products. The insights gathered here will inform researchers on new PCM research avenues, technological strategies, and product formulations.