Advances in functional applications of biomass-derived carbon composites for phase change materials

The existence of biomass materials as the only renewable carbon source is an extremely important resource in the realm of modern energy and materials science. Biomass-derived carbon composites (BDCCs), with their unique advantages and applications, such as wide sources, low cost, high carbon content and tunable structure, have promoted the progress and innovation in several technological fields and played an indispensable part in mitigating environmental pollution and promoting sustainable development in energy storage and conversion applications. Phase change materials (PCMs), which possess latent heat storage and release properties, have been widely applied in the field of energy storage and utilization. Nonetheless, several obstacles limit the application of PCMs, including the occurrence of leakage during operation and the relatively low thermal conductivity. The porous structure of BDCCs enhances the thermal conductivity of PCMs and effectively prevents leakage. Consequently, there has been a growing interest among researchers in BDCCs/PCMs. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of literature providing a comprehensive and detailed introduction to BDCCs and their applications in PCMs. On this basis, this review will provide an overview of the feedstock classes and synthesis methods based on recent research advances, followed by an investigation of the potential functional applications of BDCCs. Ultimately, this paper provides a targeted summary of the development advantages and challenging opportunities of BDCCs in functional applications based on the current state of research and emerging needs, providing constructive references for the future development and efficient utilization of BDCCs/PCMs.