Strength band
macro-encapsulated pouches; plasterboards with microcapsules
Numbers below are bands used by working engineers, not live quotes. Tensile note: macro-encapsulated pouches; plasterboards with microcapsules.
Fire performance in this atlas is editorial. Real projects need the assembly report.
Mechanical
Stiffness
Modulus follows chemistry and orientation — not the marketing nickname.
Toughness
Crack growth, not peak stress, retires most real parts.
Fatigue / creep
Cyclic and time-dependent damage dominate certificates issued on static coupons.
Hardness / hand
Indentation, drape or compressive class — whichever the trade actually measures.
Thermal
Conductivity
low-to-moderate; often needs fins or graphite — Phase-change material is not a substitute for a dedicated λ layer.
Service temperature
Melting / softening / decomposition band: designed 18–28 °C for buildings.
Expansion
Joints and clearances must follow the expansion class of Phase-change material, not of steel-by-habit.
Thermal mass
Density ~0.8–1.6 g/cm³ sets how fast a section changes temperature.
Ageing of λ
Foams, VIPs and moist batts drift; quote aged values.
Electrical
Conductor or dielectric
Phase-change material is generally a dielectric or semiconductor film, not building wire.
Static / EMI
Fillers and moisture change resistivity more than brochures admit.
Standards language
IACS, volume resistivity or dielectric strength — pick the quantity the job uses.
Fire
Reaction to fire
Typical declared class: paraffin = combustible; salts vary. This is not a universal passport.
Resistance vs reaction
Euroclass is reaction. EI/R ratings are assemblies — boards, coats, cavities.
Melt-drip / char
Phase-change material can burn or drip; do not treat it as A1 without a system test.
Smoke / toxicity
CO, HCN, HF or fibres — the species depend on chemistry. Name the test (ISO 5659, EN 45545, NFPA 1971).
If a salesperson quotes a single “safety score”, ask which standard, which thickness, which year.
Keep exploring
More in Thermal
🪨
Mineral wool
Melted rock or glass spun into A1 batts — the default non-combustible insulation of codes.
Overall 69 🧽Polyurethane foam
The low-λ organic foam of fridges and buildings — excellent insulation, a fire design problem unless PIR and coverings are honest.
Overall 46 📦Vacuum insulated panel
A sealed vacuum sandwich — λ around 0.004–0.008 W/m·K until the envelope leaks.
Overall 44