Sugar alcohol based phase change materials: progress and challenges in heat storage materials

The present review analyses the potential of sugar alcohols as latent heat storage materials for applications in the medium to high temperature range (60–200 °C). In view of the increasing share of volatile renewable energies, thermal energy storage, especially based on phase change materials (PCM), represents a promising solution. Sugar alcohols, including erythritol, xylitol, D-sorbitol and d-mannitol, are distinguished by their high melting enthalpies, optimal melting temperatures and advantageous polymorphic properties. This work offers a cross-comparative analysis of thermophysical data provided in the literature, directly assessing the impact of heating rate, material purity, and polymorphism on reported melting parameters, in contrast to earlier studies that only describe material attributes. This review systematically compares the thermophysical properties of materials reported in the literature under varying heating rates and analyses eutectic mixtures to optimize melting behavior. In addition, the crystallization triggering mechanisms (e.g. air injection, ultrasound, additives) and the viscosity behavior in the subcooled state are investigated. The findings demonstrate that suitable mixtures can sustain cycle stability and stabilize supercooled states over several days as reported in the literature, underscoring their potential applicability for long-duration thermal energy storage while also highlighting the remaining difficulties for seasonal-scale storage. The combination of targeted sample preparation, mixing strategy and viscosity control opens up new perspectives for sustainable thermal energy storage systems.