Development of Film-based Polymer Elastocaloric Cooler

Forschungsthema/Bereich

Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics and related programs of study

Typ der Abschlussarbeit

Master

Startzeitpunkt

01.07.2025

Bewerbungsschluss

30.06.2025

Dauer der Arbeit

6 months

Beschreibung

Refrigeration consumes a significant portion of global electricity, and demand is projected to grow continuously in the coming years. Elastocaloric cooling, a novel solid-state cooling technology, holds strong potential to reshape the market due to its high efficiency and environmental friendliness. Utilizing film-based elastocaloric materials offers the advantage of more effective heat transfer due to their high surface-to-volume ratio. Moreover, applying polymer films in elastocaloric cooling can significantly reduce overall costs compared to shape memory alloys, making this technology more viable for practical applications.

Your thesis work will involve the basic material characterization of novel elastocaloric polymer films, focusing on their thermal and mechanical properties. In addition, you will design, fabricate, and develop an elastocaloric cooling demonstrator utilizing these materials for systematic research.

This is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary project that offers you the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research and development in polymer-based elastocaloric cooling technology. It will also allow you to deepen your experimental skills and engineering knowledge. Furthermore, there is the potential to contribute to conference and/or journal publications as a co-author.

To support your work, IMT provides access to extensive, state-of-the-art facilities, including a 600 m² cleanroom, rapid prototyping equipment (such as 3D printers and laser cutters), laboratories for assembly and joining technologies, and various advanced metrological laboratories. Intensive supervision will ensure that the project is completed within the scheduled timeframe.
Your Tasks:
• Characterization of elastocaloric polymer samples
• Design and development of lab-scale prototypes for elastocaloric cooling
• Analysis and optimization of the performance of the integrated elastocaloric cooling system

Voraussetzung

Voraussetzungen an Studierende

• A strong background knowledge in thermodynamics, heat transfer, and mechanics
• Expertise in CAD, LabVIEW programming
• Experience in microfabrication is a plus

Studiengangsbereiche

• Ingenieurwissenschaften
  Elektrotechnik & Informationstechnik
  Maschinenbau
  Mechatronik & Informationstechnik
  Mechanical Engineering
  Energy Engineering and Management
• Naturwissenschaften und Technik
  Physik

Betreuung

Titel, Vorname, Name

M. Sc. Yi-Ting Hsiau

Organisationseinheit

Institute of Microstructure Technology, IMT

E-Mail Adresse

yi-ting.hsiau@kit.edu

Link zur eigenen Homepage/Personenseite

Website

Bewerbung per E-Mail

Bewerbungsunterlagen

• Anschreiben
• Lebenslauf
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E-Mail Adresse für die Bewerbung
Senden Sie die oben genannten Bewerbungsunterlagen bitte per Mail an yi-ting.hsiau@kit.edu


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