▁cl othing . ▁▁ ▁By ▁far ▁the ▁biggest ▁potential ▁market ▁is ▁for ▁building ▁he ating ▁and ▁cool ing . ▁ ▁PC M s ▁are ▁currently ▁attract ing ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁attention ▁for ▁this ▁application ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁progress ive ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁renew able ▁electric ity , ▁couple d ▁with ▁limited ▁hours ▁of ▁avail ability , ▁resulting ▁in ▁a ▁mis fit ▁between ▁peak ▁demand ▁and ▁avail ability ▁of ▁supply . ▁ ▁In ▁North ▁America , ▁China , ▁Japan , ▁Australia , ▁Southern ▁Europe ▁and ▁other ▁developed ▁countries ▁with ▁hot ▁sum mers ▁peak ▁supply ▁is ▁at ▁m idd ay ▁while ▁peak ▁demand ▁is ▁from ▁around ▁ 1 7 : 0 0 ▁to ▁ 2 0 : 0 0 . ▁ ▁This ▁creates ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁demand ▁for ▁storage ▁media . ▁ ▁Sol id - liqu id ▁phase ▁change ▁materials ▁are ▁usually ▁enc aps ulated ▁for ▁installation ▁in ▁the ▁end ▁application , ▁to ▁contain ▁in ▁the ▁liquid ▁state . ▁In ▁some ▁applications , ▁especially ▁when ▁incorpor ation ▁to ▁text iles ▁is ▁required , ▁phase ▁change ▁materials ▁are ▁micro - enc aps ulated . ▁Micro - enc aps ulation ▁allows ▁the ▁material ▁to ▁remain ▁solid , ▁in ▁the ▁form ▁of ▁small ▁b ub bles , ▁when ▁the ▁PC M ▁core ▁has ▁m elt ed . ▁ ▁Character istics ▁and ▁classification ▁Lat ent ▁heat ▁storage ▁can ▁be ▁achieved ▁through ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁matter ▁from ▁liquid → sol id , ▁solid → liqu id , ▁solid → gas ▁and ▁liquid → gas . ▁