Recently, the research team led by Professor Wu Xuehong from the College of Energy and Power Engineering at Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI) published a high-level research paper titled "High-porosity hydrophobic (expand PVA)/(expand CNF) aerogels loaded with tetradecane for phase change cold storage" in the Chemical Engineering Journal (CAS Q1, TOP journal, IF=13.2), an international prestigious journal. Chang Zhijuan from the College of Food and Bioengineering serves as the first author, Professor Wu Xuehong as the corresponding author, and ZZULI as the first affiliated institution.

The development of traditional cold chain logistics relies on mechanical refrigeration, which entailshigh energy consumption. Furthermore, equipment failures are prone to cause drastic temperature fluctuations, thus affecting the quality of goods. To overcome this limitation, a high-porosity composite aerogel was prepared via the freeze-drying process in this study. Using the aerogel as a carrier, vacuum impregnation was applied to tetradecane, facilitating the successful development of a composite phase-change aerogel suitable for low-temperature environments. The modified PVA/CNF aerogel exhibited outstanding properties, with a porosity of 96.80% and a specific surface area of 54.10 m²/g, thereby fostering an optimal structural framework for high-capacity PCM encapsulation. In addition, the modified aerogel showcased hydrophobicity (water contact angle: 105.32°) and enhanced compressive strength. It reached a maximum stress of 123 MPa at 50% strain and still maintained structural integrity under a load of 1.5 kg. These properties collectively address the limitations of hydrophilic materials in high-humidity environments, reducingPCM leakage. They also achieved a high phase-change enthalpy of 297.8 J/g, with an enthalpy loss of merely 3.66% after 300 thermal cycles, demonstrating excellent cycling stability. This material holds promise for providing more energy-efficient and stable temperature control solutions for cold chain logistics.

This research was funded and supported by the Henan Province Key Research and Development Special Project, the Program for Tackling Key Problems in Major Industries of Henan Province under the Open Competition Mechanism, the Central Government-Guided Local Science and Technology Development Project, the Henan Province Science and Technology Program for Tackling Key Problems, and other programs.

Journal article link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.171449