2026年1月9日，Elsevier 旗下top期刊《Composites Part B: Engineering》在线发表了云南师范大学能源与环境科学学院李明教授课题组张莹博士的最新研究成果《Interface Electronic-Structure Engineered TiN/C Aerogel Composites for Latent Heat Enhancement in Water-Based Phase Change Materials toward Efficient Cold Energy Storage》。云南师范大学能源与环境科学学院李明和张莹为通讯作者。

Abstract

To address the low thermal conductivity, severe supercooling, and poor long-term cycling stability of water-based phase change materials (PCMs), functional additives are commonly introduced. However, latent heat loss is inevitably induced by the disruption of the hydrogen-bonding network of water molecules. Herein, we propose an interface electronic-structure engineering strategy to regulate phase transition behavior by constructing electronically active heterointerfaces with a stable built-in electric field. The TiN/C heterostructure derived from MXene/cellulose aerogels is designed, in which TiN nanocrystals are in situ anchored within a porous carbon framework, forming robust TiN–C covalent interfaces. The resulting built-in electric field enhances water molecule polarization and interfacial chemical adsorption, stabilizes the hydrogen-bond network during repeated phase transitions, and promotes molecular and ionic migration. The optimized TiN/C-3 PCM exhibits a latent heat of 268.83 J g-1 with an ultralow additive loading of 7.1wt%, corresponding to a latent heat retention of 97.92%, and maintains 97.7% of its initial performance after 100 cycles. Cold-chain simulations further demonstrate stable temperature control at 0–4 °C for over 7 h, highlighting its potential for sustainable cold-chain applications. This work provides an effective strategy for designing high-performance PCMs, demonstrating the enormous potential of sustainable cold chain logistics.