TAILORING POLYMERS FOR MECHANOCALORIC AND ELECTROCALORIC APPLICATIONS: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Erik Oda Usuda; Laura Péres

Todos os Trabalhos

Trabalho

Título do Trabalho

TAILORING POLYMERS FOR MECHANOCALORIC AND ELECTROCALORIC APPLICATIONS: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Autores

Erik Oda Usuda
Laura Péres

Modalidade

Pôster - resumo

Área temática

Materiais e biomateriais

Data de Publicação

27/05/2026

País da Publicação

Brasil

Idioma da Publicação

pt-BR

Página do Trabalho

https://www.even3.com.br/anais/workshop-do-ineo-2026/1458186-tailoring-polymers-for-mechanocaloric-and-electrocaloric-applications--challenges-and-prospects

ISBN

978-65-272-2467-9

Palavras-Chave

Energy conversion materials, caloric effects, ferroelectric polymers, rubbers

Resumo

Caloric effects represent a promising class of solid-state energy conversion technologies that reversibly convert external field energy, magnetic, mechanical, or electrical, into thermal energy. These effects are driven by intrinsic material properties related to structural, magnetic, or dipolar configurations that change under field application, inducing significant changes in entropy (?S) and temperature (?T). In recent years, polymers have emerged as a prominent class of caloric materials due to their high performance, cost-effectiveness, and processing versatility [1-4]. In mechanocaloric applications, large conformational changes and stress-induced crystallization in elastomers and thermoplastics allow for massive configurational entropy shifts. For instance, under uniaxial tension or pressure, these materials can exhibit temperature changes reaching up to 40 K at stress levels of approximately 400 MPa (in the case of Acetoxy Silicone Rubber) [2]. Similarly, the electrocaloric effect (ECE) exploits dipolar rearrangements in ferroelectric polymers, such poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF)-based copolymers and liquid crystal polymers. These materials leverage field-induced phase transitions (e.g., paraelectric-to-ferroelectric) to promote substantial entropy and temperature changes (around 10 K) [4]. Despite their potential, organic caloric materials face critical challenges, particularly regarding their low intrinsic thermal conductivity and limited dielectric strength. Current research suggests that the pathway to superior electrocaloric performance lies in the synergistic optimization of thermal and electrical properties. Enhancing thermal conductivity requires improving phonon propagation, either by increasing chain alignment or incorporating high-conductivity fillers [3]. Concurrently, electrical optimization focuses on enhancing the breakdown strength and material stability through interface engineering [5]. This approach improves dipole mobility and enables ultrahigh entropy changes under lower operating fields. Looking ahead, the flexibility, lightweight nature, and scalability of polymers position them as ideal candidates for environmentally friendly, solid-state cooling systems. This work highlights the primary polymeric materials for caloric applications and outlines the prospects for their future technological integration. Acknowledgements FAPESP (2025/27044-5), CNPq (408449/2024-1) and Unifesp. References: [1] Fan, X., Chen, S., Manshaii, F., Duan, Z., Chen, G., Zhao, X., ... & Chen, J. (2026). Advances in Soft Mechanocaloric Materials. Advanced Functional Materials, 36(6), 2420997. [2] Imamura, W., Usuda, É. O., Paixão, L. S., Bom, N. M., Gomes, A. M., & Carvalho, A. M. G. (2020). Supergiant barocaloric effects in acetoxy silicone rubber over a wide temperature range: great potential for solid-state cooling. Chinese Journal of Polymer Science, 38(9), 999-1005. [3] Usuda, E. O., Imamura, W., Colman, F. C., Siqueira, A. D., Fornazaro, G., da Silva, R. A. G., ... & Fávaro, S. L. (2025). Composites of recycled PVC with natural graphite for improved heat transfer applications: a barocaloric effect study. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 1-11. [4] Greco, A., & Masselli, C. (2020). Electrocaloric cooling: A review of the thermodynamic cycles, materials, models, and devices. Magnetochemistry, 6(4), 67. [5] Qian, X., Chen, X., Zhu, L., & Zhang, Q. M. (2023). Fluoropolymer ferroelectrics: Multifunctional platform for polar-structured energy conversion. Science, 380(6645), eadg0902.

Título do Evento: Workshop do INEO 2026
Cidade do Evento: Nazaré Paulista
Título dos Anais do Evento: Anais do Workshop do INEO 2026
Nome da Editora: Even3
Meio de Divulgação: Meio Digital

Como citar

USUDA, Erik Oda; PÉRES, Laura. TAILORING POLYMERS FOR MECHANOCALORIC AND ELECTROCALORIC APPLICATIONS: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS.. In: Anais do Workshop do INEO 2026. Anais...Nazaré Paulista(SP) Hotel Estância Atibainha, 2026. Disponível em: https//www.even3.com.br/anais/workshop-do-ineo-2026/1458186-TAILORING-POLYMERS-FOR-MECHANOCALORIC-AND-ELECTROCALORIC-APPLICATIONS--CHALLENGES-AND-PROSPECTS. Acesso em: 10/08/2026