Alexium Expanded Phase Change Cooling Tech
The company introduced thermal storage solutions designed to protect data centers during cooling outages.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Data Centers
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Alexium has integrated its microencapsulated phase change material technology into data center cooling infrastructure. The expansion aims to address critical temperature management challenges in high-density AI-era server halls.
Why it matters
Rising rack densities have made cooling failures a significant risk for data centers, where indoor temperatures can reach dangerous levels in minutes. This technology provides a passive thermal buffer to help mitigate peak energy demand and cooling outages.
Alexium's Micronal capsules are tested through 10,000 thermal cycles and feature melt points ranging from 6 °C to 43 °C. In a sample configuration, a 15 mm gypsum board loaded with 3 kg/m² of material stores 330 kJ/m² of heat.
The players
Alexium
This is a materials science company that specializes in phase change material technology for thermal management.
Microtek Laboratories
This facility was acquired by Alexium in late 2025 to bolster its microencapsulation manufacturing capabilities.
Cundall
This is a global multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy firm that provides services for data center design.
The details
The technology uses microcapsules mixed into wallboard and plaster to provide latent thermal mass. When room temperatures exceed a specific melt point, the material core absorbs heat to prevent rapid spikes, a critical feature since dense data halls can rise 5 °C per minute during a cooling failure.
Timeline
Alexium acquired Microtek Laboratories in December 2025.
Cundall consulting engineers endorsed thermal storage in July 2026.
The official report was published on October 7, 2026.
The Tech Race
This development marks a pivot toward using passive latent thermal mass to address the thermal intensity of AI-era data centers. It represents an evolution from traditional mechanical cooling reliance toward hybrid infrastructure that utilizes physical building materials for energy storage.
For data center operators and stakeholders, this technology offers a secondary safety layer that could reduce the risk of hardware damage during power or cooling failures. Integrating these materials during construction or retrofitting may also improve long-term energy efficiency for facility managers.
The takeaway
Utilizing material science for thermal storage offers a resilient defense against the rapid heat spikes common in modern server environments. Integrating passive cooling into structural elements provides a durable, low-maintenance strategy for managing high-density power loads.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in facility cooling at the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fibre2fashion.
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