Heat flows as a result of contact between materials with different temperatures. Thermal insulation prevents heat exchange between materials where needed. This makes insulation materials widely important in daily life use for example in electronics, buildings, packaging, etc. There are common insulation materials on the market such as mineral fibers, polystyrene, natural fibers, or rigid foam boards. But majority of these products are fossil-fuel-based, non-biodegradable, or inefficient in controlling temperature. This project introduces a new type of insulation materials as a perfect candidate for self-regulating thermo-packaging. Our insulation is composed of bio-feedstocks and phase change materials (PCM) that can help achieving a more energy-efficient temperature-control via leakage-free phase change processes. Our PCM Insulation (PCMI) can absorb and release extra thermal energy while keeping the temperature constant. PCMI is eco-friendly and reduces carbon footprint compared to traditional insulation packaging such as polystyrene or polyurethane foams. PCMI offers effective thermal protection with a lightweight bio-based origin, significantly preventing temperature fluctuations for example during goods transport and delivery.
