In a groundbreaking advancement poised to transform renewable energy storage, researchers have unveiled a novel strategy that dramatically accelerates the charging of phase-change thermal batteries without compromising their intrinsic energy density. Historically, the pursuit of both high energy density and rapid charge rates in these batteries has been stymied by inherent material limitations. Phase-change materials (PCMs), which store thermal energy through melting and solidification, possess high latent heat but suffer from poor thermal conductivity, creating a fundamental trade-off that has delayed widespread adoption.
Thermal energy storage via PCMs is a linchpin technology for harnessing renewable sources and capturing waste heat, crucial for decarbonizing energy systems. However, while materials with substantial melting enthalpies can hold large amounts of energy, their intrinsic low ability to conduct heat restricts the speed at which they can be charged or discharged. Previous efforts to circumvent this challenge involved creating composite PCMs—blending traditional PCMs with thermally conductive additives—or using external forces to enhance melting contact, both of which carry penalties such as a decrease in energy storage capacity or additional power costs.
The latest work, detailed in a publication appearing on January 8, 2026, in Nature, introduces an innovative composite coating design for sealed phase-change thermal batteries. This design exploits a dual-function approach combining a pulse-heated (PH) layer with a lubricious slip surface, enabling a phenomenon the authors term slip-enhanced close-contact melting (sCCM). In this mode, the pulse-heated layer initiates premelting of the PCM, establishing immediate close contact between solid and liquid phases and thus jumping over the typical bottlenecks of heat transfer.
What sets this approach apart is how the slip surface facilitates the seamless sinking of the remaining solid PCM during charging, effectively maintaining unimpeded movement and continuous contact with the heated surface. This dynamic coordination ensures the melting fronts progress quickly and efficiently, translating into unprecedented charging rates. The researchers demonstrated a record-breaking power density exceeding 1,100 kW per cubic meter with organic PCM prototypes, a quantum leap relative to previous benchmarks.
The strategy is underpinned by a robust theoretical model elucidating how the slip surface mechanically and thermally supports rapid phase transformation. According to this model, the absence of frictional resistance allows the solid PCM to settle without disrupting thermal contact, which would otherwise degrade performance due to trapped air gaps or uneven melting. This insight offers a powerful design principle for a new generation of thermal batteries where energy density and fast charging are no longer mutually exclusive.
Moreover, the solution is engineered to function within sealed systems, ensuring practical integration with existing thermal energy storage infrastructures. By eliminating the need for imposed external pressure or bulky thermal conductivity enhancers, energy losses and supplementary operational complexities are minimized. This streamlines factory production, installation, and maintenance cycles, thereby improving the technology’s commercial viability and environmental footprint.
The research further highlights the versatility and scalability of the composite coating, showing it can adapt to various PCM chemistries encompassing a wide temperature spectrum. This broad applicability positions the technology not only for stationary renewable applications but also for industrial waste heat recovery, electric vehicle thermal management, and even aerospace thermal regulation, where fast and efficient heat storage and release are paramount.
Crucially, extended cycling tests indicate impressive durability and sustained performance across hundreds of thermal charge-discharge cycles. This resilience addresses a critical barrier to commercialization, where material degradation and performance fading tend to limit long-term reliability. The composite’s design inherently mitigates mechanical stresses and phase separation issues, ensuring consistent thermal characteristics over the device’s lifetime.
Future investigations promise to refine this technology further, potentially incorporating adaptive control systems that optimize pulse heating profiles dynamically based on real-time thermal demand patterns. Integration with smart grid infrastructure could elevate phase-change thermal batteries from mere energy storage units to active participants in energy balancing and peak load shaving, vastly augmenting grid resilience and efficiency.
The paradigm introduced by this research propels phase-change thermal batteries into a new era, overcoming a longstanding dichotomy between energy density and charging speed. By exploiting the physics of slip and close-contact melting synergistically, the work brings high-performance, scalable, and energy-efficient thermal storage within tangible reach. As the world races toward carbon neutrality, such innovations form the backbone of sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective energy systems.
In summary, this pulse heating and slip-layered coating concept not only surmounts critical limitations but also opens the door to high power densities previously deemed unachievable in organic PCM systems. The theoretical insights paired with empirical validation represent a significant leap forward, with exciting implications across multiple sectors reliant on thermal management and renewable energy conversion. Its publication signals a milestone in energy storage science and a beacon for future interdisciplinary research and commercial development.
Subject of Research: Enhancement of phase-change thermal battery charging rates through composite coating design enabling slip-enhanced close-contact melting (sCCM).
Article Title: Pulse heating and slip enhance charging of phase-change thermal batteries.
Article References:
Li, ZR., Hu, N., Wang, ZB. et al. Pulse heating and slip enhance charging of phase-change thermal batteries. Nature 649, 360–365 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09877-0
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09877-0
Keywords: Phase-change materials, thermal battery, energy storage, charging rate, pulse heating, slip-enhanced close-contact melting, composite coating, renewable energy, waste heat recovery, power density.
