# Bio-based phase-change materials

A thin category — plant-derived phase-change materials that absorb and release thermal energy at a defined temperature, replacing paraffin/petroleum-based PCM chemistry — three confirmed vendors spanning thermal energy storage, textile thermoregulation, and building applications.

Source: https://en.bioecon.ru/technology/bio-based-phase-change-materials/
Updated: 2026-08-21



## Overview and value chain

Markers: [EC: USDA BioPreferred + EU REACH | OECD: bio-materials, circular-bioeconomy | Regulator: REACH (EU)]

Bio-based phase-change materials (PCM) absorb and release thermal energy as they transition between solid and liquid states at a defined melting temperature, providing passive thermal regulation for buildings, textiles, and thermal-storage systems. Conventional PCM chemistry is typically paraffin- or petroleum-derived; bio-based PCM substitutes plant-derived fatty acids or vegetable-oil derivatives for the same thermal-storage function, targeting USDA BioPreferred certification and appealing to buyers seeking to avoid fossil-derived thermoregulation chemistry. The confirmed vendor base spans three genuinely distinct applications — thermal energy storage, textile-integrated thermoregulation, and building-material PCM — with each of the three confirmed vendors occupying a different niche within the category.

The key directions of bio-based phase-change materials are:
1. **Plant-derived PCM formulations:** PCM chemistry derived from plant fatty acids or vegetable oils rather than paraffin, targeting the same melting-point thermal-storage function.
2. **Textile-integrated thermoregulation:** PCM formulated for incorporation into textile fibers or coatings, providing passive body-temperature regulation in apparel.
3. **Thermal energy storage systems:** PCM deployed in building or industrial thermal-storage applications, absorbing excess heat and releasing it when needed.
4. **Microplastic-free formulation:** an emerging differentiator — PCM chemistry engineered to avoid the microplastic-shedding concerns associated with some encapsulated PCM formats.

### Sectoral value chain

```
[Feedstock sourcing] ──> [PCM formulation] ──> [Melting-point tuning] ──> [Application integration]
                                                          │
                                                (textile/building/storage format)
                                                          │
                                                          ▼
[Thermal regulation in use] <─── [Product manufacturing] <┘
```

### Value chain levels

| Level | Description | Key inputs/outputs |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Feedstock sourcing** | Sourcing plant fatty acids or vegetable-oil derivatives as the PCM base chemistry | **In:** plant-derived feedstock.<br>**Out:** a bio-based PCM base material. |
| **PCM formulation** | Formulating the bio-based material to achieve a stable, repeatable phase-change function | **In:** base material, formulation chemistry.<br>**Out:** a candidate PCM formulation. |
| **Melting-point tuning** | Adjusting the formulation to hit the target melting/transition temperature for the intended application | **In:** candidate formulation.<br>**Out:** a temperature-tuned PCM product. |
| **Application integration** | Integrating the PCM into its end format — textile fiber, coating, building material, or storage unit | **In:** tuned PCM, application substrate.<br>**Out:** an integrated PCM product. |
| **Product manufacturing** | Manufacturing the finished product (garment, building panel, storage unit) at commercial scale | **In:** integrated PCM product.<br>**Out:** a finished commercial product. |
| **Thermal regulation in use** | The finished product provides passive thermal regulation during end use | **In:** finished product.<br>**Out:** delivered thermal-regulation performance. |

Cross-cutting technologies of the sector:
- **Fatty-acid/vegetable-oil PCM chemistry:** the core bio-based formulation science replacing paraffin as the phase-change substance.
- **Melting-point engineering:** tuning the specific blend to hit a target transition temperature for a given application (body temperature for textiles, building comfort range for construction).
- **Microplastic-free encapsulation:** formulation approaches avoiding the plastic microcapsule shells used in some conventional PCM formats.

---

## US

The US has one confirmed vendor, specializing in thermal energy storage applications.

### Bio-based thermal storage, USDA BioPreferred
- **PureTemp:** a Minneapolis-based company selling a 100% USDA BioPreferred plant-derived PCM range spanning -37°C to 151°C, confirmed via the company's own data-sheet and product pages.

---

## CN

No Chinese vendor with a dedicated, confirmed bio-based PCM product was found on a live screen.

### No confirmed dedicated vendor
- **Market context:** this article found no Chinese company with confirmed, on-topic evidence of a bio-based phase-change material product.
- **Reopen condition:** if a Chinese vendor selling a confirmed bio-based PCM product surfaces on a future screen, this section should be revised and the company added to the table.

---

## EU

The EU has two confirmed vendors spanning thermal energy storage and textile-integrated thermoregulation.

### Thermal energy storage, textile thermoregulation, microplastic-free formulation
- **Climator (Sweden):** a thermal energy storage specialist confirmed via its own domain's PCM-solutions pages, applying bio-based PCM chemistry to building and industrial thermal-storage applications.
- **RUDOLF (Germany):** confirmed via its own domain's knowledge-hub page on RUCO-THERM PCM BIO-MFT, a bio-based, microplastic-free thermoregulation technology for textile comfort applications, alongside a company news page on its broader technical-textile innovation program.

---

## Leading companies and research institutes

| Company / Institute | Country | Key products / platforms | Tech features | Status 2026 |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **PureTemp** | 🇺🇸 USA | *100% USDA BioPreferred plant-derived PCM range* | Broad temperature range (-37°C to 151°C), thermal energy storage | Active, confirmed via own data sheets |
| **Climator** | 🇸🇪 Sweden | *Bio-based PCM thermal storage solutions* | Building/industrial thermal energy storage applications | Active, confirmed via own domain |
| **RUDOLF** | 🇩🇪 Germany | *RUCO-THERM PCM BIO-MFT* | Bio-based, microplastic-free textile thermoregulation | Active, confirmed via own knowledge-hub and news pages |

---

## Tech stack and innovations

The category's technology spans three distinct application niches — building/industrial thermal storage, textile thermoregulation, and general bio-based PCM formulation — each with its own melting-point engineering requirements.

1. **Broad-temperature-range bio-PCM formulation:**
   - PureTemp's -37°C to 151°C product range reflects formulation chemistry engineered across a wide span of transition temperatures for different application needs, from cold-chain to industrial process applications.
2. **Building/industrial thermal storage integration:**
   - Climator applies bio-based PCM chemistry to thermal energy storage systems, absorbing excess heat during peak periods and releasing it when needed, a passive-efficiency application distinct from textile use.
3. **Microplastic-free textile thermoregulation:**
   - RUDOLF's RUCO-THERM PCM BIO-MFT explicitly targets microplastic-free formulation, addressing a specific environmental concern associated with some conventional encapsulated PCM textile treatments.

---

## Value chains and production pipelines

### Industrial pipeline of a bio-based PCM product (USDA BioPreferred + EU REACH)

```
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 1. Feedstock sourcing       │ ───> │ 2. PCM formulation         │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
                                                 │
                                                 ▼
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 4. Application integration  │ <─── │ 3. Melting-point tuning    │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
              │
              ▼
┌───────────────────────────┐      ┌───────────────────────────┐
│ 5. Product manufacturing    │ ───> │ 6. Thermal regulation in use │
└───────────────────────────┘      └───────────────────────────┘
```

#### Stage 1: Feedstock sourcing
Plant fatty acids or vegetable-oil derivatives are sourced as the base chemistry for the bio-based PCM.

#### Stage 2: PCM formulation
The base chemistry is formulated to achieve a stable, repeatable phase-change function across many thermal cycles.

#### Stage 3: Melting-point tuning
The formulation is adjusted to hit the specific transition temperature required by the intended application, from PureTemp's -37°C to 151°C range down to a garment-specific body-temperature target.

#### Stage 4: Application integration
The tuned PCM is integrated into its end format — a textile fiber or coating for RUDOLF's RUCO-THERM, or a thermal-storage unit for Climator's building applications.

#### Stage 5: Product manufacturing
The finished product — garment, building panel, or storage unit — is manufactured at commercial scale incorporating the integrated PCM.

#### Stage 6: Thermal regulation in use
The finished product delivers passive thermal-regulation performance during end use, completing the value chain from plant feedstock to functional thermal comfort or energy storage.

---