Phase-Change and Latent-Heat Materials in Printed Photopolymer Structures: Containment, Cycling and Thermal Management

This review proposes a qualification framework for printed photopolymer structures containing phase-change materials, arguing that latent heat alone does not establish usable thermal management. It separates thermal-storage capacity from containment, heat-transfer rate, mechanical stability and printability, and calls for calorimetric results to be linked to PCM fraction and thermal history. Its central conclusion is that a printed PCM structure must be treated as a coupled composite, since it only delivers useful heat storage if the PCM stays contained and the structure stays stable over repeated cycles.