This research project will evaluate the use of phase change materials (PCMs) as a sustainable preventive conservation measure for local, passive temperature control of microclimates during display, storage, and transit of objects in partially-controlled or uncontrolled environments. Phase change materials are inherently energy efficient materials that can be exploited for thermal energy storage (TES) and thermal regulation (TR) applications, such as microclimates for objects will be aimed at exploiting diurnal swings in temperature or prevent overheating or overcooling of sensitive objects during on/off temperature cycles, during systematic HVAC shutdowns.
In collaboration with RIT's Department of Packaging Science, a series of laboratory tests will be designed to simulate hourly and daily temperature changes experienced in uncontrolled or partially-controlled collection environments, the project will investigate three different microclimate applications for phase change materials, namely i) vitrines for objects on open display, ii) storage enclosures for temperature sensitive objects in collections, and iii) sealed frame packages for local temperature control during display and transit.