, researchers appear to have found a way to design composite phase change materials that can store energy as heat. These innovative materials store heat much like a battery stores electrical energy, and are made by combining materials that can store a lot of heat with metals that can move heat around quickly. Additionally, the researchers wanted to figure out how to make these materials store as much heat as possible, as quickly as possible, without making them too big or heavy.
In essence, the team showed that by thinking of the system as an "effective composite," they could simplify the calculations and predict what the best structure would be. You can view one of the team's studies on the subject in the"Phase-change materials and high-conductivity elements can be combined to form highly compact and efficient composite heat sinks.