Development of a sustainable solid-state barocaloric cooler

冷却对于食品和饮料、医药、电子产品和热舒适性是必不可少的。长期以来，由于压力驱动的流体相变引起的热变化一直被用于蒸汽压缩系统，以实现连续制冷和空调，但其能效相对较低，而且所使用的工质在释放到大气中时会对环境造成损害。我们的目标是开发第一个节能的气压热量冷却原型，基于由廉价的丰富元素制成的新型气压热量材料。改用这种负担得起的高效制冷技术将减少全世界制冷和空调所需的电力消耗，低收入和中低收入发展中国家的制冷和空调电力消耗增长尤其迅速，并将消除对有害气体的需求。因此，负担得起和可持续的新型高压热冰箱和空调可以缓解迫在眉睫的能源危机，保护环境。

Cooling is essential for food and drinks, medicine, electronics and thermal comfort. Thermal changes due to pressure-driven phase transitions in fluids have long been used in vapour-compression systems to achieve continuous refrigeration and air conditioning, but their energy efficiency is relatively low, and the working fluids that are employed harm the environment when released to the atmosphere. We aim at developing the first energy-efficient barocaloric cooling prototype, based on novel barocaloric materials that are made of cheap abundant elements. Switching to such affordable efficient cooling technology would reduce the power consumption that is required worldwide for refrigeration and air conditioning, which is increasing particularly rapidly in low-income and lower-middle-income developing countries, and would obviate the need for harmful gases. Novel barocaloric refrigerators and air conditioners that are affordable and sustainable could therefore ease the looming energy crisis and protect the environment.