Solid-state cooling by stress: A perspective

Abstract

Materials with both giant and colossal mechanocaloric effects together with giant electrocaloric and magnetocaloric materials are expected to replace harmful fluids in more efficient and environmentally friendly refrigeration and heat pumping technologies. While mechanocaloric materials have only received attention in the last decade, they have already shown better caloric performances than their magnetic and polar counterparts. In particular, the recent discovery of colossal barocaloric and elastocaloric materials opens up bright perspectives for this class of materials. We envisage great promise in the use of mechanocaloric materials for future energy applications.