Thermal energy storage (TES) is subdivided into sensible, latent, and thermochemical heat & cold storage. In Task 48, TES materials for latent heat storage (phase change materials, PCM), for thermochemical heat storage (thermochemical materials, TCM), and for sensible heat storage will be in focus. A variety of different materials is investigated and applied to be used as PCM and TCM in TES systems. New materials, material mixtures, and composites are worked on and presented by a growing community of experts.
Goals
The main goal of the proposed Task is to support TES materials R&D by
- developing measurement guidelines for material properties,
- providing an overview of new and innovative PCM and TCM as well as related synthesis and production methods,
- establishing a high-quality TES materials database (link), and
- disseminating lessons learnt from previous Tasks on compact thermal energy storage.
Subtasks
Task 48 is subdivided into four Subtasks. As a side activity, the experts will elaborate a plan how to organize a continuous activity for the TES materials R&D work.
If you are interested to join Task 48, please have a look at this intro presentation.
Task 48 is a collaborative acitivity with Task 75 of the Solar Heating and Cooling TCP.
News
October 2026: The Thermal Materials Database (https://thermalmaterials.org/) provides high-quality experimental data on phase change materials (PCM) and thermochemical materials (TCM). Unlike conventional materials databases, it includes not only material properties but also underlying measurement data and detailed descriptions of experimental procedures, enabling comparison and reproducibility of results. Researchers worldwide are invited to register, download and compare datasets, and contribute their own measurements to jointly establish a comprehensive, reliable, and high-quality database for thermal energy storage materials.
This video provides a brief introduction to the database, demonstrating how to use it and illustrating the types of data available:
January 2026: Interview with Prof. Frédéric Kuznik, INSA Lyon, about communicating achievements and lessons learnt.
Next meeting
- The third experts meeting will take place at SINTEF in Trondheim, Norway, from 7 to 8 December 2026.
- All experts meetings will be organized as shared meetings together with Task 47 (Thermal Energy Storage Components).