| TOPICAL REVIEW — Multiferroicity and multicaloric effects |
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Heat recycling with magnetocaloric materials for sustainable energy conversion |
| Fengqi Zhang(张烽起)† and Yang Ren(任洋)‡ |
| JC STEM Laboratory of Energy and Materials Physics, Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China |
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Abstract Solid-state magnetocaloric effects (MCEs) induced by external magnetic fields offer a promising pathway toward sustainable energy conversion technologies, utilizing field-driven temperature changes for efficient solid-state cooling and heating. This review examines magnetocaloric materials (MCMs) in the context of sustainable heat recycling, summarizing representative material systems and key advances from the past decade. The discussion is organized around a materials—applications—mechanism framework to provide a coherent perspective. Finally, we outline existing challenges and future opportunities in the field. Deeper mechanistic insight, combined with advances in manufacturing and the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, is expected to accelerate the development of magnetocaloric energy conversion technologies toward practical implementation. Such synergistic progress will accelerate the deployment of these technologies for carbon-neutral heat recycling.
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Received: 02 December 2025
Revised: 31 December 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 12 January 2026
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PACS:
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75.30.Sg
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(Magnetocaloric effect, magnetic cooling)
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75.47.Np
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(Metals and alloys)
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| Fund: This work was supported by the open research fund of CSNS (Grant Nos. KFKT2022B04 and KFKT2022A05). F.Q. Zhang and Y. Ren acknowledge financial support from City University of Hong Kong (Project No. 9610533). F.Q. Zhang and Y. Ren would like to express sincere appreciation to the Hong Kong SAR of China for supporting the research under the Global STEM Professorship, and to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for supporting the research under the JC STEM Lab of Energy and Materials Physics. |
Corresponding Authors:
Fengqi Zhang, Yang Ren
E-mail: fzhan7@cityu.edu.hk;yangren@cityu.edu.hk
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Cite this article:
Fengqi Zhang(张烽起) and Yang Ren(任洋) Heat recycling with magnetocaloric materials for sustainable energy conversion 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 077502
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