Exploiting the giant electrocaloric effect
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Materials Science & Metallurgy
Abstract
This project has the capacity to deliver revolutionary technology for a wide range of refrigeration and/or power generation scenarios.Our discovery paper [AS Mischenko, Q Zhang, JF Scott, RW Whatmore & ND Mathur, Science 311 (2006) 1270] marks the rebirth of a field of research but it is only a materials development and we do not yet know whether any technology will actually result.The point of this grant application is to develop materials that function well near room temperature, and demonstrate refrigeration and electricity generation in devices. Moreover, this proposal contains a strong scientific component that will reveal new information about electrocaloric materials and the way they behave.The materials development is perfectly realistic because the electrocaloric effect is expected near any ferroelectric phase transition, and there are many suitable materials such as those we name explicitly. Moreover, the strategies we propose for improving properties of interest are well established.The device fabrication, which is relatively straightforward, is necessary since our promising simulation efforts [AS Mischenko & ND Mathur, GB Patent 2420662 (2006)] are no substitute for real data. Note that there are several aspects to device optimisation, e.g. film thickness and composition.
Publications
Correia T
(2009)
Investigation of the electrocaloric effect in a PbMg2/3Nb1/3O3-PbTiO3 relaxor thin film
in Applied Physics Letters
Kar-Narayan S
(2009)
Predicted cooling powers for multilayer capacitors based on various electrocaloric and electrode materials
in Applied Physics Letters
Kar-Narayan S
(2010)
Direct and indirect electrocaloric measurements using multilayer capacitors
in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Fisher B
(2010)
Sliding charge-density waves in manganites.
in Nature materials
Correia T
(2011)
PST thin films for electrocaloric coolers
in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Kar-Narayan S
(2012)
Electrocaloric Materials for Cooling Applications
in Ferroelectrics
Defay E
(2013)
The electrocaloric efficiency of ceramic and polymer films.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Moya X
(2013)
Giant electrocaloric strength in single-crystal BaTiO3.
in Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
Kar-Narayan S
(2013)
Direct electrocaloric measurements of a multilayer capacitor using scanning thermal microscopy and infra-red imaging
in Applied Physics Letters
Moya X
(2013)
Giant and reversible extrinsic magnetocaloric effects in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 films due to strain.
in Nature materials
| Description | We showed that multilayer capacitors are the ideal devices for electrocaloric cooling. We investigated the cooling powers that they can develop in order to verify technological significance. And we introduced a new figure of merit to report the energy efficiency of electrocaloric materials: our "electrocaloric efficiency" shows that polymers slightly outperform ceramics, and will be useful in future for electrocaloric materials selection. We also showed two new ways to measure electrically driven temperature change directly, and we showed giant electrocaloric strength in single-crystal barium titanate, i.e. very large thermal changes per unit applied electric field. |
| Exploitation Route | The electrocaloric effect could form the basis of some future cooling technology. |
| Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy |
| Description | The work on multilayer capacitors has demonstrated the type of electrocaloric device that is required for applications of the electrocaloric effect. The thermal modelling allows cooling power to be predicted. Collaboration with the Japanese company Murata has led to devices for me to test, one published paper, and more papers to come. |
| Sector | Electronics |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | CEA-LETI |
| Amount | £25,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | CEA-Leti |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | France |
| Start | |
| Description | CEA-LETI |
| Organisation | CEA-Leti |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We have supplied expertise to predict electrocaloric efficiency, and we have also performed experiments together. |
| Collaborator Contribution | We have benefited from the infra-red camera and electronics expert at CEA-LETI. |
| Impact | The electrocaloric efficiency of ceramic and polymer films Emmanuel Defay, Sam Crossley, Sohini Kar-Narayan, Xavier Moya and Neil D. Mathur Advanced Materials 25 (2013) 3337-3342 Direct electrocaloric measurements of a multilayer capacitor using scanning thermal microscopy and infra-red imaging S. Kar-Narayan, S. Crossley, X. Moya, V. Kovacova, J. Abergel, A. Bontempi, N. Baier, E. Defay, and N. D. Mathur Applied Physics Letters 102 (2013) 032903 pages 1-4 Too cool to work X. Moya, E. Defay, V. Heine and N. D. Mathur Nature Physics - commissioned Commentary |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | Murata |
| Organisation | Murata Manufacturing |
| Country | Japan |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We measure electrocaloric properties of samples supplied by Murata. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Murata send us samples for testing |
| Impact | None so far - the collaboration is new. |
| Start Year | 2014 |