Solid-State Magnetic Refrigeration: First-principles Modeling and Computational Materials Search

Reliable, compact and efficient refrigeration technologies are essential for future space exploration and science missions. Magnetic refrigeration is a promising technology due to its solid-state nature and the capability to deliver cooling power below 1 K. However, currently available magnetic refrigerants are limited and the efficiency of magnetic refrigeration at higher temperatures (e.g. 10 to 30 K) remains low. To identify new refrigerants and advance magnetic refrigeration as an attractive cooling technology for a wider temperature range, we propose to develop a novel computational method to predict the refrigeration efficiency of magnetic materials from their chemical composition and crystal structure. Equipped with this computational tool, we will conduct efficient search in existing material databases to identify new promising magnetic refrigerants for applications in different temperature ranges.

Utilizing new ADR refrigerants, this project will enable efficient solid state magnetic refrigeration in the temperature range of 10 to 30 K and use new methods to predict ADR performance from first-principles. Additionally, the new solid-state heat switches will replace existing gas gap, mechanical, and superconducting heat switches for ADRs and the new continuous magnetic refrigeration mode will replace the multistage ADRs. This project will lead to more efficient, reliable, compact and cost-effective solid state cooling technologies for space missions, capable of operating at different temperature ranges.

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