Nanoconfinement‐Induced Giant Electrocaloric Effect in Ferroelectric Polymer Nanowire Array Integrated with Aluminum Oxide Membrane to Exhibit Record Cooling Power Density. Issue 8 (7th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Guangzu; Weng, Lingxi; Hu, Zhaoyao; Liu, Yang; Bao, Runxi; Zhao, Peng; Feng, Hao; Yang, Nuo; Li, Ming‐Yu; Zhang, Sulin; Jiang, Shenglin; Wang, Qing
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials. Volume 31:Issue 8(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-01-07
• Subjects: cooling power density -- electrocaloric effect -- ferroelectric polymer -- heat transfer -- nanoconfinement; Materials -- Periodicals; Chemical vapor deposition -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/adma.201806642
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0935-9648

Abstract

Abstract: The electrocaloric effect (ECE) offers a unique mechanism to realize environmentally friendly and highly efficient solid‐state cooling that completely differs from the conventional vapor‐compression refrigeration. Here a new class of hybrid films composed of ferroelectric polymer nanowire array and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane is reported, which displays pronounced ECE driven by relatively low electric fields. Under confinement and orientation of AAO channels on the crystallization of the polymer, the polymer nanowire array shows substantially enhanced ECE that is about three times that of the corresponding thin films. Simultaneously, the integrated AAO membrane forms thermally conducting channels for the polymer nanowires, enabling the efficient transfer of cooling energy and operation of the EC materials under high frequencies, which are unattainable based on the currently available EC structures. Consequently, the integrated polymer nanowire–AAO hybrid film exhibits the state‐of‐the‐art cooling power density, outperforming the current ferroelectric polymers, ceramics, and composites. This work opens a new route for the development of scalable, high‐performance EC materials for next‐generation refrigeration. Abstract : Ferroelectric polymer nanowires under nanoconfinement exhibit a greatly improved electrocaloric effect. The integrated aluminium oxide membrane concurrently functions as thermally conductive channels to enable the efficient transfer of cooling energy and operation at high frequencies. The hybrid film displays remarkable cooling power densities and opens up a new opportunity to realize environmentally friendly and highly efficient refrigeration.