Phase Change Materials For Biomedical And Healthcare Applications

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) store and release thermal energy isothermally through reversible solid-liquid transitions, exploiting the substantial latent heat associated with first-order phase transformations [48]. This thermodynamic characteristic distinguishes PCMs from conventional sensible heat storage media and renders them particularly suited to biomedical contexts in which precise, sustained temperature control is functionally indispensable [48, 62]. The present review consolidates findings from peer-reviewed literature published between 2017 and 2026, spanning five interconnected domains: (1) classification and thermophysical characterisation of biomedically relevant PCM categories, including organic fatty acids, paraffin waxes, polyethylene glycols, lipid-based materials, inorganic salt hydrates, eutectic blends, and metallic systems; (2) design of PCM-loaded nanocarrier architectures for thermoresponsive drug delivery, with attention to thermosensitive liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, and biomimetic cell membrane-coated platforms; (3) integration of PCMs with photothermal conversion agents for mild-temperature oncological therapy, encompassing reported photothermal conversion efficiencies of 30–82%; (4) passive PCM-based refrigeration strategies for the global vaccine cold-chain; and (5) liquid metal thermoelectric integration for wearable health monitoring, two-dimensional MXene nanocomposites, and high-entropy alloy biomaterials [2, 3]. The therapeutically favoured temperature window of 40–45°C, accessible through PCM-mediated hyperthermia, concurrently induces immunogenic cell death, augments chemosensitisation, and triggers spatiotemporally controlled drug release. Remaining translational obstacles - including tumour-targeting efficiencies below 1% of administered dose, manufacturing scalability, and regulatory compliance - are examined critically, and priority research directions are identified for each domain. [17]