Polymer nanocomposites for electrocaloric refrigeration: Applications and research advances

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ae48ba

Abstract With the global surge in refrigeration demand, developing efficient, environmentally friendly solid-state refrigeration technologies is urgent. Polymer materials leveraging the electrocaloric effect (ECE) are promising alternatives to traditional vapor compression refrigeration, due to their zero global warming potential and flexibility. This review summarizes progress in polymer-based electrocaloric (EC) material composites from material design to device integration, emphasizing multiscale synergistic design as the core strategy to address polymers' inherent low thermal conductivity and high operating electric fields. We discuss ECE regulation mechanisms and synergistic effects across scales: molecular (defect engineering, high-entropy design), mesoscale (interface engineering), and macroscale (film thickness, external field control). Key challenges (low thermal conductivity, high operating fields) are analyzed, and future work should focus on precise interface engineering and multiscale structural design to advance polymer electrocaloric coolers from lab to commercialization.

Keywords: electrocaloric effect interface engineering high-entropy polymers nanocomposites

Received: 28 November 2025
Revised: 20 January 2026
Accepted manuscript online: 23 February 2026

PACS:	07.20.-n	(Thermal instruments and apparatus)
	85.50.-n	(Dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric devices)
	77.84.-s	(Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric, and antiferroelectric materials)
	77.90.+k	(Other topics in dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties)

Fund: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 523B2011, 52372108, and 52272110), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 5003190024), the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province (Grant No. 2024AFA012), and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2022YFA1204603). We would also like to thank the Analytical and Testing Center of HUST.

Corresponding Authors: Guangzu Zhang
E-mail: zhanggz@hust.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Hongtian Li(黎洪天), Feifan Yang(杨非凡), Shenglin Jiang(姜胜林), Kanghua Li(李康华), and Guangzu Zhang(张光祖) Polymer nanocomposites for electrocaloric refrigeration: Applications and research advances 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 070702

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