Materials World Network: Magnetocaloric Effect and Magnetic Refrigeration Materials from Theory and Experiment

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial)

Basic and strategic applied research

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics)
PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)

Not Cross-cutting

Professor JB Staunton
Physics
University of Warwick

Standard

EPSRC

01 July 2010

30 June 2014

48 months

£1

No relevance to Underpinning Sectors

West Midlands

Physical Sciences

Professor JB Staunton, Physics, University of Warwick

Dr M Lueders, CSE/Computational Chemistry Group, STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
Dr L Petit, CSE/Computational Chemistry Group, STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
Professor Z Szotek, CSE/Computational Chemistry Group, STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)
Professor W Temmerman, CSE/Computational Chemistry Group, STFC (Science & Technology Facilities Council)

Magnetic field induced isothermal entropy and/or adiabatic temperature changes, which are characteristics of magnetocaloric effect, may be substantial in some magnetic materials when they transform from one magnetic state to another. Experimental investigations carried out over the last decade demonstrated that a cooling technology based on the magnetocaloric effect - magnetic refrigeration - is more efficient and environmental friendly than conventional vapour-compression cooling technology. The discovery of the giant magnetocaloric effect in Gd5Si2Ge2 and related materials, followed by a few discoveries of other giant magnetocaloric effect systems showed that the coupled magnetic and structural transitions are critical for future advancements and optimization of the magnetocaloric effect. The latter is only possible if one understands the underlying physics of the present day magnetocaloric materials, and based on this understanding predicts specific properties and designs novel materials with enhanced magnetocaloric effect. The main goal of this project is to develop a roadmap for the understanding and optimisation of the magnetocaloric effect in various intermetallic materials. This project is collaboration between the University of Warwick/STFC Daresbury (UK) group led by Professors Julie B Staunton and Walter Temmerman, and the Iowa State University (US) group led by Professors Vitalij K Pecharsky and Karl A Gschneidner, Jr. The theoretical models of the magnetocaloric effect from first principles theory will be developed and tested experimentally, thus providing a much needed foundation for the discovery of advanced magnetic refrigeration materials.The roadmap for the understanding and optimization of the magnetocaloric effect in various intermetallic materials can be used to predict novel magnetocaloric materials with much stronger effect than is known today. As a result, energy efficient and environmentally friendly magnetic refrigeration technology will have a strong materials foundation, and will be rapidly developed to a commercial status. The proposed study will also help to achieve a better understanding of magnetic interactions in complex rare earth based materials.The UK group has excellent research track record and experience in theory of rare earth and transition metal magnetism and the US group is a worldwide leader in experimental aspects of the rare earth magnetism and magnetocaloric effect and has also made some recent progress in the theoretical estimation of the magnetocaloric effect

11/11/11