Polymer Materials for Thermal Management Systems
A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 139
Special Issue Editors
Interests: 3D printing; composites; bioplastics; printing technology; PCM thermal insulation; porous materials; biocomposites; cellular materials; thermal conductivity; energy performance of buildings; heat exchangers; food preservation; 3D-printed food packaging; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: heat transfer; energy efficiency; 3D printing; building physics; building energy efficiency; non-destructive testing techniques; building energy modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The increasing demand for energy-efficient technologies and sustainable thermal management solutions has facilitated research into polymer materials that regulate heat transfer and storage. Polymeric materials and polymer-based composites have attracted considerable attention in this area due to their structural versatility, design flexibility, and suitability for scalable manufacturing. Phase Change Materials (PCMs), which absorb and release large amounts of thermal energy during phase transitions (typically between solid and liquid states), have been widely investigated for thermal energy storage applications. Incorporating PCMs into polymer matrices enables the development of multifunctional materials that combine effective thermal energy storage and temperature regulation with mechanical robustness, long-term durability, and ease of processing.
This Special Issue will highlight recent advances in polymeric materials for thermal management systems, focusing on polymer–PCM composites, encapsulation strategies at micro- and macro-scales, shape-stabilised PCM systems, and methods to enhance thermal conductivity and reliability during long-term use. Contributions exploring advanced manufacturing techniques, including extrusion, foaming, and additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, are especially encouraged. Applications of energy-efficient buildings, prefabricated construction elements, thermal insulation, and temperature-controlled supply chains are also of interest.
We aim to promote interdisciplinary research at the intersection of materials science, polymer engineering, and thermal engineering to support the development of next-generation polymer-based thermal management solutions that enhance energy efficiency, temperature stability, and sustainability. Both original research articles and comprehensive reviews are welcome.
Dr. Beata Anwajler
Dr. Tullio de Rubeis
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- polymer composites
- phase change materials (PCMs)
- polymeric phase change materials
- thermal energy storage (TES)
- temperature-controlled materials
- thermal management systems
- sustainable buildings
- additive manufacturing—3D printing
- cold chain logistics
- microencapsulation
- energy efficiency
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