Ink-based thermoelectric technology could be solution for replacing problematic refrigerants
Ink-based thermoelectric technology could be solution for replacing problematic refrigerants
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1133041
Publish Date: 2026-06-22 15:30:00
Source Domain: www.eurekalert.org
Today’s refrigerants, which are specialized working fluids used in air conditioners, refrigerators and heat pumps, come with a host of issues including leakage, emissions concerns, flammability and limited reclamation of used refrigerants. However, a recent study by University of Notre Dame researchers describes a promising alternative for next-generation cooling using thermoelectric technology, which has no moving parts ad no gaseous refrigerants, allowing for zero leaks.
“By making thermoelectric devices a competitive and commercially viable technology, it can transform the way we cool things,” said Yanliang Zhang, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Collegiate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at Notre Dame. “We can make the cooling process become very environmentally friendly.”
In the past, widespread adoption of thermoelectrics has been challenging due to the high costs associated with traditional manufacturing processes. However, the research team led by Zhang has developed an innovative ink-based printing strategy that enables a scalable manufacture of low-cost and high-performance thermoelectric materials and devices.
According to the new study, these materials “are very advantageous in energy-efficient and localized cooling of electronics, medical devices, automobiles, data centers and buildings.”
This research was primarily supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH), whose mission is to create the first sustainable refrigerant life cycle-engineered system. These advances pave the way for producing high-efficiency, compact cooling systems without the need for environmentally harmful refrigerants.
“These devices are highly effective in cooling and very conducive to large-scale industry manufacturing,” Zhang said. “We can make the devices faster and with less cost. I think the biggest…
