A review of MOF-based composite phase change materials for battery thermal management

High-efficiency thermal management systems are crucial for maintaining the performance, safety and durability of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), particularly under challenging operating conditions. The cooling systems based on porous matrix composite phase change materials (CPCMs) can efficiently regulate the peak temperature and maximum temperature variance of batteries, showing significant potential for applications in LIB thermal management engineering. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have garnered significant interest from researchers due to their high specific surface areas, tunable pore sizes, customizable chemical properties, and robust stability. This review presented the thermophysical properties of phase change materials (PCMs) utilized in lithium battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) and the preparation methods of MOF carriers suitable for lithium BTMSs and systematically concluded the relationship between the microstructures of MOF-based composite carriers and the thermal properties of CPCMs. It also summarized the preparation methods of MOF carriers and their influences on the porous structural characteristics of MOFs, analyzed the influence of porous structural characteristics on the thermal performance of CPCMs and discussed the effectiveness of MOF-based CPCMs in lithium BTMSs. The potential research directions for using MOF-based CPCMs in BTMSs are reasonably proposed from macro- and micro-perspectives, including enhancement of thermal conductivity and latent heat capacity, principles governing the micro-characteristics of MOF-based composite carriers impacting thermal properties, the heat transfer characteristics of CPCMs, and evaluation methods of lithium BTMS efficiency. The research results can provide technical guidance and research reference for the use of MOF-based CPCMs in BTMSs.