Innovative Magnetocaloric Cooling Achieves Liquid Hydrogen Production

Researchers at the University of Groningen have developed an energy-efficient method using magnets to cool substances to temperatures necessary for hydrogen liquefaction.

• The magnetocaloric cooling method leverages magnetic fields to align atoms, causing a temperature change that can cool substances to -253°C.
• This breakthrough could significantly reduce the energy and economic costs associated with hydrogen liquefaction, crucial for industrial applications.
• The new method avoids the use of rare-earth metals, opting for materials that are more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective.
• The research highlights the potential for further improvements by incorporating transition metals with larger magnetic moments.
• Published in Nature Communications, the study underscores the environmental benefits by eliminating the need for refrigerant gases with potent greenhouse effects.

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