A research team from the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has made significant strides in cooling technology by developing South Korea’s first complete magnetic cooling system. Led by Dr. Jong-Woo Kim and Dr. Da-Seul Shin, this innovative approach aims to tackle the environmental challenges posed by conventional gas-based refrigeration systems.
The new magnetic cooling technology relies on the magnetocaloric effect, which allows for solid-state cooling without the use of gas refrigerants. This process involves changing the temperature of a refrigerant material when exposed to an external magnetic field. Despite its promise, the commercialization of this technology has been hindered by high production costs and reliance on rare-earth elements, which complicates price competitiveness.
The KIMS team synthesized various magnetocaloric materials, including lanthanum (La)-based and manganese (Mn)-based alloys. Advanced fabrication techniques, such as hot rolling, cold drawing, and micro-channel machining, facilitated the production of sheet and fine-wire specimens. Notably, the researchers successfully created large-area La-based thin sheets measuring 0.5 mm in thickness and Gd-based fine wires with a diameter of 1.0 mm.
Advancements in Magnetic Cooling
In addition to material development, the team also achieved improvements in non–rare-earth Mn-based materials by optimizing thermal hysteresis and magnetic anisotropy. They established Korea’s first measurement system to monitor adiabatic temperature changes in magnetic cooling materials directly. This development has enabled the team to quantitatively assess the differences in properties based on manufacturing processes, allowing for the optimization of materials and components for magnetic cooling applications.
As global regulations on refrigerants tighten, the need for sustainable cooling solutions has intensified. The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol mandates the complete ban of major gas refrigerants, including HFCs and HCFCs, by 2030. This regulatory shift is pushing the industry towards greener alternatives, making the KIMS team’s research particularly timely.
Countries like Germany have reported magnetic cooling systems with coefficients of performance (COP) surpassing traditional refrigeration methods, highlighting the technology’s potential as a next-generation cooling solution. The emphasis on eco-friendly technologies aligns with international decarbonization policies and climate initiatives, making this research essential for future applications.
KIMS continues to enhance its technological capabilities in magnetic cooling, focusing on impactful publications and securing key patents. The team’s achievements in component manufacturing and the development of non–rare-earth magnetic refrigerant materials have positioned them competitively on the global stage.
Principal Researcher Dr. Jong-Woo Kim emphasized the impact of this technology, stating, “Once commercialized, this technology will overcome the limitations of conventional gas-based cooling systems and provide an eco-friendly and stable cooling solution.” Senior Researcher Dr. Da-Seul Shin added, “Through this creative convergence research project, we aim to further advance magnetocaloric technology and establish a domestic industrial infrastructure for it while also expanding into the global market.”
The research was supported by the Basic Research Program of KIMS and the Creative Convergence Research Program of the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST). Results from this innovative work were published in May 2025 in the prestigious journal Rare Metals, with Ph.D. candidate Sun-Young Yang as the lead author. Furthermore, the team has registered a domestic patent related to the magnetic cooling evaluation system and filed a corresponding patent application in the United States.
KIMS is a non-profit, government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea. As the only institution specializing in comprehensive materials technologies in the country, KIMS plays a crucial role in advancing materials science and supporting the Korean industry.
