| TOPICAL REVIEW — Multiferroicity and multicaloric effects |
Prev
Next
|
|
|
Recent advances and innovations in elastocaloric materials for solid-state refrigeration |
| Yadong Wang(王亚东)1, Li Wang(王丽)1, Zhen Chen(陈珍)2, Haoran Lou(娄浩然)1, Bin Gong(龚斌)1, Lian Huang(黄炼)3, Yandong Wang(王沿东)1, and Daoyong Cong(从道永)1,† |
1 State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China; 2 School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China; 3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hunan Institute of Engineering, Xiangtan 411101, China |
|
|
|
|
Abstract Elastocaloric refrigeration technology is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly solid-state alternative to conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems, leveraging the elastocaloric effects generated during the stress-induced martensitic transformations in shape memory alloys (SMAs). The cooling performance of this emerging technology primarily depends on the comprehensive properties of SMAs, which serve as the refrigerants. To date, various SMAs, such as Ni-Mn-based, Ni-Ti-based, Co-based, Ni-Fe-Ga-based, and Cu-based alloys, have demonstrated significant elastocaloric effects. However, the development of elastocaloric refrigeration applications is often severely hindered by other crucial properties of these SMAs, such as transformation temperature, transformation stress, stress hysteresis, coefficient of performance (COP), fatigue resistance, and cost. In this article, we provide a concise overview of recent research progress in elastocaloric performance across various SMAs, with a focus on the optimization strategies and the underlying microstructural mechanisms. Meanwhile, this review aims to provide actionable guidance and a comprehensive roadmap for the development of high-performance SMAs, facilitating the transition from laboratory-scale breakthroughs to practical elastocaloric refrigeration applications in the near future.
|
Received: 13 November 2025
Revised: 08 February 2026
Accepted manuscript online: 23 February 2026
|
|
PACS:
|
62.20.fg
|
(Shape-memory effect; yield stress; superelasticity)
|
| |
61.66.Dk
|
(Alloys )
|
| |
61.82.Bg
|
(Metals and alloys)
|
|
| Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52325101, 52171172, and 52031005), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. FRF-TP-24-01C), the State Key Laboratory for Advanced Metals and Materials (Grant No. 2025-Z32), the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (Grant No. 2023RC4009), and Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 2023JJ30190). |
Corresponding Authors:
Daoyong Cong
E-mail: dycong@ustb.edu.cn
|
Cite this article:
Yadong Wang(王亚东), Li Wang(王丽), Zhen Chen(陈珍), Haoran Lou(娄浩然), Bin Gong(龚斌), Lian Huang(黄炼), Yandong Wang(王沿东), and Daoyong Cong(从道永) Recent advances and innovations in elastocaloric materials for solid-state refrigeration 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 066201
|
[1] Xiao F, Chen H and Jin X J 2021 Acta Metal. Sin. 57 1 [2] Qian S X, Catalini D, Muehlbauer J, Liu B Y, Mevada H, Hou H L, Hwang Y H, Radermacher R and Takeuchi I 2023 Science 380 722 [3] Li L J, He S Y, Xiao F, Zeng Y, Liu Y, Zhou Y, Cai X R and Jin X J 2025 Prog. Mater. Sci. 153 101477 [4] Chen J Y, Lei L P and Fang G 2021 Mater. Today Commun. 28 102706 [5] Zuo C D, Zheng L J, Yang S C, Li B and Zhang H 2024 Next Mater. 5 100270 [6] Zheng S Y, Du F H, Zheng L R, Han D L, Li Q, Shi J Y, Chen J P, Shi X M, Huang H B, Luo Y R, Yang Y R, O’Reilly P, Wei L L, de Souza N, Hong L and Qian X S 2023 Science 382 1020 [7] Tishin A M and Spichkin Y I 2014 IIR 37 223 [8] Bonnot E, Romero R, Manosa L, Vives E and Planes A 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 125901 [9] Aznar A, Lloveras P, Kim J Y, Stern-Taulats E, Barrio M, Tamarit J L, Sánchez-Valds C F, Llamazares J L S, Mathur N D and Moya X 2019 Adv. Mater. 31 1903577 [10] Gong J, Chu S R, Mehta R K and McGaughey A J H 2022 npj Comput. Mater. 8 140 [11] Zhang S, Deliyore-Ramirez J, Deng S, Nair B, Pesquera D, Jing Q, Vickers M E, Crossley S, Ghidini M, Kar-Narayan S, Guzmán-Verri G G, Moya X and Mathur N D 2024 Nat. Mater. 23 639 [12] Xu X, Li M, Lin X and Wang H 2024 Phys. Rev. B 110 064103 [13] Du F H, Yang T N, Hao H, et al. 2025 Nature 640 924 [14] Xu X, XieWF, Li F B, Niu C, LiMandWang H 2024 Phys. Rev. Appl. 22 014036 [15] Li B, Kawakita Y, Wang H, Kikuchi T, Yu D H, Yano S, Ren W J, Nakajima K and Zhang Z D 2019 Nature 567 506 [16] Li F B, Li M, Niu C and Wang H 2022 Appl. Phys. Lett. 120 073902 [17] Piper S L, Melag L, KarM, Sourjah A, Xiao X, May E F, Aguey-Zinsou K F, MacFarlane D R and Pringle J M 2025 Science 387 56 [18] Cheng P T, Chen Z H, Zhang C L, Zhang Z M, Li B and Wang D H 2025 Chin. Phys. B 34 036801 [19] Energy savings potential and RD&D opportunities for Non-Vapor- Compression HVAC technologies, March 2014 Report of the U.S. Dpt. of Energy. [20] Wu Y, Ertekin E and Sehitoglu H 2017 Acta Mater. 135 158 [21] Chen Y, Zhang X X, Dunand D C and Schul C A 2009 Appl. Phys. Lett. 95 171906 [22] Cong D Y, XiongWX, Planes A, Ren Y, Manosa L, Cao P Y, Nie Z H, Sun X M, Yang Z, Hong X F and Wang Y D 2019 Phys. Rev. Lett. 122 255703 [23] Yang Z, Cong D Y, Yuan Y, Wu Y, Nie Z H, Li R G and Wang Y D 2019 Mate. Res. Lett. 7 137 [24] Guan Z Q, Bai J, Sun S D, Gu J L, Liang X Z, Zhang Y D, Esling C, Zhao X and Zuo L 2022 Appl. Mater. Today 29 101634 [25] Zhang X Y, Qian H Y, Cai R, Wei Z Y, He J, Zhang M X, Sun W, Liu J, Felser C and Li G W 2024 ACS Appl. Electron. Mater. 6 4440 [26] Omori T, Iwaizako H and Kainuma R 2016 Mater. Des. 101 263 [27] Kirsch S M,Welsch F, Michaelis N, Schmidt M,Wieczorek A, Frenzel J, Eggeler G, Schütze A and Seelecke S 2018 Energy Technol. 6 1567 [28] Mañosa L and Planes A 2016 Philos. T. R. Soc. A 374 20150310 [29] Yang Z, Cong D Y, Yuan Y, Li R G, Zheng H X, Sun X M, Nie Z H, Ren Y and Wang Y D 2020 Appl. Mater. Today 21 100844 [30] Niu Y R, Chen H Y, Zhang X Y, Li S W, Cong D Y, Ma T Y, Li S L, Lin J P and Wang Y D 2021 Scr. Mater. 204 114123 [31] Mañosa L and Planes A 2017 Adv. Mater. 29 1603607 [32] Hou H L, Simsek E, Ma T, Johnson N S, Qian S X, Cissé C, Stasak D, Al Hasan N, Zhou L, Hwang Y H, Radermacher R, Levitas V I, Kramer M J, Zaeem M A, Stebner A P, Ott R T, Cui J and Takeuchi I 2019 Science 366 1116 [33] Moya X, Kar-Narayan S and Mathur N D 2014 Nat. Mater. 13 439 [34] Cui J, Wu Y M, Muehlbauer J, Hwang Y H, Radermacher R, Fackler S, Wuttig M and Takeuchi I 2012 Appl. Phys. Lett. 101 073904 [35] Schmidt M, Ullrich J, Wieczorek A, Frenzel J, Schütze A, Gunther Eggeler G and Seelecke S 2015 Shap. Mem. Superelasticity 1 132 [36] Chen J Y, Xing L L, Fang G, Lei L P and Liu W 2021 Acta Mater. 208 116741 [37] Qian S X, Ling J Z, Hwang Y H, Radermacher R and Takeuchi I 2015 Int. J. Refrig 56 65 [38] Yuan B, Zhong S J, Qian M F, Zhang X X and Geng L 2021 J. Alloy. Compd. 850 1566612 [39] Zhao Y D, Ning R, Li H, Sun S B, Wang H Z, Gao Y, Zhao D Q, Cao X Z, Gao Z Y and Cai W 2022 J. Alloy. Compd. 906 164280 [40] Li D, Li Z B, Zhang X L, Yang B, Wang D H, Zhao X and Zuo L 2020 Scr. Mater. 189 78 [41] Cui J, Chu Y S, Famodu O O, Furuya Y, Hattrick-Simpers J, James R D, Ludwig A, Thienhaus S,Wuttig M, Zhang Z Y and Takeuchi I 2006 Nat. Mater. 5 286 [42] Wang Y D, Gong B,Wang L, Li S H, Song C, Huang L, Nie Z H,Wang Y D and Cong D Y 2025 J. Alloy. Compd. 1040 183402 [43] Jee K K, Potapov P L, Song S Y and Shin M C 1997 Scr. Mater. 36 207 [44] Wu Z G, Guo J P, Liang Z W, Zhang Y J, Ye X J, Zhang J S, Li Y C, Liu Y N and Yang H 2020 J. Alloy. Compd. 829 154606 [45] Wei Z Y, Liu E K, Chen J H, Li Y, Liu G D, Luo H Z, Xi X K, Zhang H W, Wang W H and Wu G H 2015 Appl. Phys. Lett. 107 022406 [46] Liu C T and Stiegler J O 1984 Science 226 636 [47] Schulson E M,Weihs T P, Baker I, Frost H J and Horton J A 1986 Acta Mater. 34 1395 [48] Liu Y, Liu C T, Heatherly L and George E P 2011 Scr. Mater. 64 303 [49] Liu C T and George E P 1990 Scr. Metall. Mater. 24 1285 [50] Sakamoto H, Kijima Y and Shimizu K I 1982 Trans. Japn. Inst. Met. 23 585 [51] Wilkes K E and Liaw P K 2000 JOM 52 45 [52] Yang Z, Cong D Y, Sun X M, Nie Z H andWang Y D 2017 Acta Mater. 127 33 [53] Wu X 2006 Intermetallics 14 1114 [54] Tang X H, Feng Y, Wang H B and Wang P 2019 Appl. Phys. Lett. 114 033901 [55] Masdeu F, Pons J, Torrens-Serra J, Chumlyakov Y and Cesari E 2022 Mat. Sci. Eng. A 833 142362 [56] Hernández-Navarro F, Camarillo-Garcia J P, Aguilar-Ortiz C O, Flores- Zuńiga H, Ríos D, González J G and Á lvarez-Alonso P 2018 Appl. Phys. Lett. 112 164101 [57] Huang Y J, Hu Q D, Bruno N M, Chen J H, Karaman I, Ross Joseph H and Li J G 2015 Scr. Mater. 105 42 [58] Guan Z, Bai J, Zhang Y, Gu J, Zhang Y, Esling C, Zhao X and Zuo L 2023 Scr. Mater. 229 115353 [59] Li J Z and Li J G 2012 Mater. Lett. 68 40 [60] Zhang G Y, Wang H L, Li Z B, Yang B, Yan H L, Zhao X and Zuo L 2023 Scr. Mater. 234 115584 [61] Huang X M, Zhao Y, Yan H L, Jia N, Tang S, Bai J, Yang B, Li Z B, Zhang Y D, Esling C, Zhao X and Zuo L 2020 Scr. Mater. 185 94 [62] Zhang G Y,Wang Y P, Liu C, Cong D Y, Kuang Y F, Yang J J, Yang B, Zuo L and Li Z B 2025 Acta Mater. 301 121541 [63] Chen Z, Cao Y X, Sun L Y, Sun X M and Cong D Y 2024 Appl. Phys. Lett. 125 223103 [64] Quarini J and Prince A 2004 Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng. Pt. C J. Mechan. Eng. Sci. 218 1175 [65] Wang X B, Pu Z, Yang Q, Huang S K, Wang Z C, Kustov S and Van Humbeeck J 2019 Scr. Mater. 163 57 [66] Aaltio I, Fukuda T and Kakeshita T 2019 J. Alloy. Compd. 780 930 [67] Chen H Y, Zhang X Y, Niu Y R, Cong D Y, Ren Y andWang Y D 2023 Jom 75 1393 [68] Chluba C, Ge W W, Miranda R L, Strobel J L, Kienle L, Quandt E and Wuttig M 2015 Science 348 1004 [69] Kim Y, Jo M G, Park JW, Park H K and Han H N 2018 Scr. Mater. 144 48 [70] Ahadi A and Sun Q P 2013 Appl. Phys. Lett. 103 021902 [71] Ueland S M and Schuh C A 2013 Acta Mater. 61 5618 [72] Cao Y X, Zhou X L, Cong D Y, Zheng H X, Cao Y H, Nie Z H, Chen Z, Li S H, Xu N, Gao Z Y, CaiWandWang Y D 2020 Acta Mater. 194 178 [73] Lin H Y, Hua P, Li Y, Li Q, Yu K P, Yan J, Onuki Y, Wang Q H, Su C F, Zhou G A, Sato S, Huang K, Luan J H, Lee Y K, Huang M X, Yang Y, Ren Y and Sun Q P 2026 Mat. Sci. Eng. A 949 149449 [74] Zhou M, Wang W, Su H J, Hu Z J and Li L F 2024 Chin. Phys. B 33 056501 [75] Chen J Y, Zhang K, Kan Q H, Yin H and Sun Q P 2019 Appl. Phys. Lett. 115 093902 [76] Lin H Y, Hua P, Huang K, Li Q and Sun Q P 2023 Scr. Mater. 226 115227 [77] Hua P, Xia M L, Onuki Y and Sun Q P 2021 Nat. Nanotechnol. 16 409 [78] He B B, Hu B, Yen H W, Cheng G J, Wang Z K, Luo H W and Huang M X 2017 Science 357 1029 [79] Liang D S, Wang Q H, Chu K J, Chen J Y, Hua P, Ren F Z and Sun Q P 2022 Appl. Mater. Today 26 101377 [80] Wang Q H, Yin H and Sun Q P 2024 J. Mater. Res. Technol. 30 8906 [81] Chen J Y, Zhao C Q, Zhang S B, Zhang W J, Liu W, Lei L P, Ramamurty U and Fang G 2024 Mater. Sci. Eng. A 892 146073 [82] Chen J Y, Liu B Q, Xing L L, Liu W, Lei L P and Fang G 2022 Acta Mater. 226 117609 [83] Chen J Y, Wang W Q, Zhang Q, Lei L P, Ramamurty U and Fang G 2024 Scr. Mater. 245 116060 [84] Dang P F, Zhou Y M, Pang J B, Ding X D, Sun J, Lookman T and Xue D Z 2023 Scr. Mater. 226 115263 [85] Dang P F, Ye F, Zhou Y M, Ding L, Pang J B, Zhang L, Ding X D, Sun J, Dai S, Lookman T and Xue D Z 2022 Acta Mater. 229 117802 [86] Li S H, Cong D Y, Sun X M, Zhang Y, Chen Z, Nie Z H, Li R G, Li F Q, Ren Y and Wang Y D 2019 Mater. Res. Lett. 7 482 [87] Liu G J, Huang L and Cong D Y 2025 Mater. Lett. 394 138661 [88] Liu H W, Li Z, Zhang Y L, Ni Z T, Xu K and Liu Y S 2020 Scr. Mater. 177 1 [89] Xu X, Nagashima A, Nagasako M, Omori T, Kanomata T and Kainuma R 2017 Appl. Phys. Lett. 110 121906 [90] Liu C, Li D, Li Z B, Yang B, Yan H L, Li J R, Li Z, Zhao X and Zuo L 2021 Appl. Phys. Lett. 118 103904 [91] Niu Y R, Chen H Y, Wang D K, Yang J H, Wang Y D, Li S W, Li T C, Cong D Y, Li S L and Wang Y D 2025 Mater. Res. Lett. 13 1171 [92] Shen A, Zhao D W, Sun W, Liu J and Li C J 2017 Scr. Mater. 127 1 [93] Zhang X Y, Chen H Y, Niu Y R, Li, R G, Yin T, Lang R Q, Song C, Meng L Y, Cong D Y, Li S L andWang Y D 2022 Appl. Phys. Lett. 120 151903 [94] Zhang X Y, Chen H Y, Li S W, Niu Y R, Yin T, Song C, Lang R Q, Cong D Y, Li S L and Wang Y D 2022 J. Alloy. Compd. 918 165633 [95] Ota T, Ohmori T, Tanaka Y, Morito H, Fujita A, Kainuma R, Fukamichi K and Ishida K 2002 Appl. Phys. Lett. 81 5201 [96] Efstathiou C, Sehitoglu H, Kurath P, Foletti S and Davoli P 2007 Scr. Mater. 57 409 [97] Li Y, Zhao D W and Liu J 2016 Sci. Rep. 6 25500 [98] Pataky G J, Ertekin E and Sehitoglu H 2015 Acta Mater. 96 420 [99] Imran M, Zhang X X, Qian M F and Geng L 2020 Adv. Eng. Mater. 22 1901140 [100] Imran M and Zhang X X 2020 Phys. Rev. Mater. 4 065403 [101] Huang X M, Zhao Y, Yan H L, Jia N, Yang B, Li Z B, Zhang Y D, Esling C, Zhao X, Ren Q Y, Tong X and Zuo L 2023 Scr. Mater. 234 115544 [102] Sutou Y, Omori T, Yamauchi K, Ono N, Kainuma R and Ishida K 2005 Acta Mater. 53 4121 [103] Xu S, Huang H Y, Xie J X, Takekawa, S, Xu, X, Omori T and Kainuma R 2016 APL Mater. 4 106106 [104] Qian S, Geng Y L,Wang Y, Pillsbury T E, Hada Y, Yamaguchi Y, Fujimoto K, Hwang Y H, Radermacher R, Cui J, Yuki Y J, Toyotake K and Takeuchi I 2016 Philos. T. R. Soc. A 374 20150309 [105] Kusama T, Omori T, Saito T, Kise S, Tanaka T, Araki Y and Kainuma R 2017 Nat. Commun. 8 354 [106] Omori T, Kusama T, Kawata S, Ohnuma I, Sutou Y, Araki Y, Ishida K and Kainuma R 2013 Science 341 1500 [107] Lu N H and Chen C H 2021 Mater. Sci. Eng. A 800 140386 [108] Wang Y P, Du H Q, Liu H W, Yang J J, Li Z B, Li J W, Yang B, Yan H L and Zuo L 2024 Scr. Mater. 252 116227 [109] Guo Y Z, Wang Y P, Liu H W, Du H Q, Liu C, Cong D Y, Yang J J, Li J W and Li Z B 2025 J. Alloy. Compd. 1041 183727 [110] Fan Z M, Li X, Zhang P N, Zhai Q J, Wang G, Li Q and Liu J 2025 Scr. Mater. 261 116603 [111] Li X, Fan Z M, Zhai Q J, Wang G, Lu X, Qian H Y, Cai R, Jiang D Q and Liu J 2025 Addit. Manuf. Lett. 13 100281 [112] Li Q, Deng Z Z, Ahadi A, Chu K J, Yan J, Huang K, Hu S X, Ren Y, He B B and Sun Q P 2025 Nat. Commun. 16 4511 |
| No Suggested Reading articles found! |
|
|
Viewed |
|
|
|
Full text
|
|
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
|
|
Cited |
|
|
|
|
Altmetric
|
|
blogs
Facebook pages
Wikipedia page
Google+ users
|
Online attention
Altmetric calculates a score based on the online attention an article receives. Each coloured thread in the circle represents a different type of online attention. The number in the centre is the Altmetric score. Social media and mainstream news media are the main sources that calculate the score. Reference managers such as Mendeley are also tracked but do not contribute to the score. Older articles often score higher because they have had more time to get noticed. To account for this, Altmetric has included the context data for other articles of a similar age.
View more on Altmetrics
|
|
|