Since the 1997 Kyoto protocol of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the development of novel refrigerators has been a priority within the scientific community. Although magnetocaloric materials are promising candidates, they still need a large magnetic field to induce a giant ΔT as well as powerful and costly magnets. However, in electrocaloric materials (ECMs) a temperature change may be achieved by applying or removing an electric field. Since a giant electrocaloric effect on ferroelectric thin films was reported in Science in 2006, researchers have been inspired to explore such effect in different ferroelectric thin films. This book reviews electrocaloric effects observed in bulk materials as well as recent promising advances in thin films, with special emphasis on the ferroelectric, antiferroelectric and relaxor nature of ECMs. It reports a number of considerations about the future of ECMs as a means of achieving an efficient, ecologically sustainable and low cost refrigerator.

The Electrocaloric Effect: Materials and Applications reviews the fundamentals of the electrocaloric effect, the most relevant electrocaloric materials, and electrocaloric measurements and device applications. The book introduces the electrocaloric effect, along with modeling and simulations of this effect. Then, it addresses the latest advances in synthesis, characterization and optimization of the most relevant electrocaloric materials, including ferroelectric materials, liquid materials, lead-free materials, polymers and composites. Finally, there is a review of the latest techniques in measurement and applications in refrigeration and cooling and a discussion of the advantages, challenges and perspectives of the future of electrocaloric refrigeration. - Provides a comprehensive introduction to the electrocaloric effect including experimental techniques to measure, model, and simulate the effect - Reviews the most relevant electrocaloric materials such as composites, polymers, metal oxides, ferroelectric materials, and more - Touches on the design and application of electrocaloric materials for devices with potential cooling and refrigeration applications

Ferroelectricity in Doped Hafnium Oxide: Materials, Properties and Devices covers all aspects relating to the structural and electrical properties of HfO2 and its implementation into semiconductor devices, including a comparison to standard ferroelectric materials. The ferroelectric and field-induced ferroelectric properties of HfO2-based films are considered promising for various applications, including non-volatile memories, negative capacitance field-effect-transistors, energy storage, harvesting, and solid-state cooling. Fundamentals of ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties, HfO2 processes, and the impact of dopants on ferroelectric properties are also extensively discussed in the book, along with phase transition, switching kinetics, epitaxial growth, thickness scaling, and more. Additional chapters consider the modeling of ferroelectric phase transformation, structural characterization, and the differences and similarities between HFO2 and standard ferroelectric materials. Finally, HfO2 based devices are summarized. - Explores all aspects of the structural and electrical properties of HfO2, including processes, modelling and implementation into semiconductor devices - Considers potential applications including FeCaps, FeFETs, NCFETs, FTJs and more - Provides comparison of an emerging ferroelectric material to conventional ferroelectric materials with insights to the problems of downscaling that conventional ferroelectrics face

This book provides the latest research on a new alternative form of technology, the magnetocaloric energy conversion. This area of research concerns magnetic refrigeration and cooling, magnetic heat pumping and magnetic power generation. The book’s systematic approach offers the theoretical basis of magnetocaloric energy conversion and its various sub domains and this is supported with the practical examples. Besides these fundamentals, the book also introduces potential solutions to engineering problems in magnetocalorics and to alternative technologies of solid state energy conversion. The aim of the book is therefore to provide engineers with the most up-to-date information and also to facilitate the understanding, design and construction of future magnetocaloric energy conversion devices. The magnetocaloric energy conversion represents an alternative to compressor based refrigerators and heat pumps. It is a serious alternative to power generation with low enthalpy heat sources. This green technology offers an opportunity to use environmentally friendly solid refrigerants and the potentially high energy efficiency follows the trends of future energy conversion devices. This book is intended for postgraduate students and researchers of refrigeration, heat pumping, power generation alternatives, heat regenerators and advanced heat transfer mechanisms.

This is a standard work on ferroelectrics.

Ecological restrictions in many parts of the world are demanding the elimination of Pb from all consumer items. At this moment in the piezoelectric ceramics industry, there is no issue of more importance than the transition to lead-free materials. The goal of Lead-Free Piezoelectrics is to provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals and developments in the field of lead-free materials and products to leading researchers in the world. The text presents chapters on demonstrated applications of the lead-free materials, which will allow readers to conceptualize the present possibilities and will be useful for both students and professionals conducting research on ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, smart materials, lead-free materials, and a variety of applications including sensors, actuators, ultrasonic transducers and energy harvesters.

Provides a comprehensive overview of the emerging applications of ferroelectric materials in energy harvesting and storage Conventional ferroelectric materials are normally used in sensors and actuators, memory devices, and field effect transistors, etc. Recent progress in this area showed that ferroelectric materials can harvest energy from multiple sources including mechanical energy, thermal fluctuations, and light. This book gives a complete summary of the novel energy-related applications of ferroelectric materials?and reviews both the recent advances as well as the future perspectives in this field. Beginning with the fundamentals of ferroelectric materials, Ferroelectric Materials for Energy Applications offers in-depth chapter coverage of: piezoelectric energy generation; ferroelectric photovoltaics; organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites for solar energy conversion; ferroelectric ceramics and thin films in electric energy storage; ferroelectric polymer composites in electric energy storage; pyroelectric energy harvesting; ferroelectrics in electrocaloric cooling; ferroelectric in photocatalysis; and first-principles calculations on ferroelectrics for energy applications. -Covers a highly application-oriented subject with great potential for energy conversion and storage applications. -Focused toward a large, interdisciplinary group consisting of material scientists, solid state physicists, engineering scientists, and industrial researchers -Edited by the "father of integrated ferroelectrics" Ferroelectric Materials for Energy Applications is an excellent book for researchers working on ferroelectric materials and energy materials, as well as engineers looking to broaden their view of the field.