Form-stable cold storage phase change materials with durable cold insulation for cold chain logistics of food

Every year, many foods are discarded in the process of transportation because they could not be kept fresh for a long time, resulting in great food and economic loss. Phase change technology for cold energy storage has the advantages of stable temperature and high energy storage density, and it has great application potential in cold chain logistics. However, how to endow it with shape stability before and after phase change and machinability while maintaining high cold-insulation performance is of great importance for expanding its application in the fields of cold chain logistics with higher requirements. Herein, a novel form-stable cold energy storage phase change material (FCPCM) with ice as phase change component and a polyether-based three-dimensional network as skeleton was reported. FCPCMs exhibit excellent shape stability, i.e., no water leakage, owing to the coaction of capillary forces and hydrogen bonding between two phase interfaces. FCPCM demonstrated excellent thermal properties (ΔHm = 285.9 J/g and Tp of melting = 1.9 °C) and durable cold-insulation performance, and it could maintain cold temperature 1.85 times longer than ice. FCPCM could prolong the preservation time of litchi, indicating its excellent potential in cold chain logistics of fruit, vegetables, and other foods to enhance food quality and safety.