A cool use for old materials

Alex Mischenko, Science Graduate of the Year 2006, talks about his research that has revived an almost forgotten piece of science to revolutionise cooling technologies.

The challenge of keeping electrical appliances cool is an ever-increasing problem. For example, now we are aware of the harm caused by CFC’s in traditional refrigeration units we need to seek alternatives, and the heat generated by computer processors and other electronic components is spiralling out of control. The implications for the person who finds a solution are wide ranging. Could it be that the winner of this year’s Science Graduate of the Year Award has found a solution? By applying and removing an electric field to a thin film, Alex Mischenko has generated a giant electrocaloric effect that is able to cool the film by 12 degrees centigrade. Whilst this technique isn’t completely new – it was experimented with in the 1960s and 1970s – Alex is the first researcher to generate an electrocaloric effect large enough to be of any practical use. The potential for this new technology is huge, and in his talk, Alex will describe just how he came to make such a valuable discovery.

This event will be chaired by Baroness Susan Greenfield.

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