Large elastocaloric effect in a Heusler-type Co50V35Ga14Ni1 polycrystalline alloy

Solid state refrigeration technology relies on the high-performance materials with remarkable caloric properties. Here, we demonstrate a large elastocaloric effect through stress-induced martensitic transformation in a Heusler-type Co50V35Ga14Ni1 polycrystalline alloy. By rapidly removing a moderate compressive stress of 400 MPa, a large adiabatic temperature change up to −12.1 K is achieved. Moreover, high cyclability of the elastocaloric effect with more than 4000 loading/unloading cycles is also obtained. With the combination of a large elastocaloric effect and good cyclability, Co-V-Ga based alloys hold great potential for environment-friendly solid-state refrigeration applications.