As "micro-containers" for thermal energy storage, microencapsulated phase change materials (MEPCMs) have gained attention due to their high heat storage density, high surface area-to-volume ratio and excellent leak resistance. However, MEPCMs still face some challenges, such as high supercooling degree, low thermal conductivity, and poor stability. In recent research, many modification methods for MEPCMs have been proposed to address the aforementioned issues. Herein, this paper first provides an overview of the current challenges in various applications of MEPCMs. Then, it introduces and compares modification methods to address these issues, including the loading of nanomaterials, modification of shell/core materials, modification of the inner and outer surfaces of the shell, and the creation of internal thermally expandable voids. These methods have shown notable effects in suppressing supercooling, enhancing thermal conductivity, and improving stability in MEPCMs, demonstrating significant potential for future applications. Finally, challenges, development directions, and problem-solving methods are proposed.

中文翻译：

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微胶囊相变材料的改性：抑制过冷、增强导热性、提高稳定性

作为储热的“微型容器”，微封装相变材料（MEPCM）因其高储热密度、高表面积与体积比和优异的防漏性能而受到关注。然而，MEPCM仍面临过冷度高、导热系数低、稳定性差等挑战。在最近的研究中，人们提出了许多MEPCM的改性方法来解决上述问题。在此，本文首先概述了 MEPCM 各种应用中当前面临的挑战。然后，介绍并比较了解决这些问题的改性方法，包括纳米材料的负载、壳/核材料的改性、壳的内外表面的改性以及内部热膨胀空隙的创建。这些方法在抑制过冷、增强导热性和提高 MEPCM 稳定性方面显示出显着的效果，展示了未来应用的巨大潜力。最后提出了挑战、发展方向和解决问题的方法。