New solid state coolant could spell the end of exploding batteries
The world has an insatiable thirst for cooling, whether it's cool fridges and freezers, or as a way to cool our gadgets increasingly powerful batteries and electronics, now solid state cooling could put an end to things that go boom in the night.
Key takeaways
- Going forward, the idea is to develop the technology in new ways, and, for instance, the team thinks it could be useful as a way of building portable refrigerators for the developing world.
- A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'New solid state coolant could spell the end of exploding batteries', 311 Institute, 10 December. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/new-solid-state-coolant-could-spell-the-end-of-exploding-batteries/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
There are plenty of cool wearables, but there are very few cool wearables, if you catch what I’m saying, and now that looks like a problem that could soon be solved thats to a team of engineers from the University of California at Los Angeles and SRI International and their new 5mm thin device, a solid state fridge.
However, if you’re wondering why you’d want to carry what is essentially a mini fridge around with you then imagine the possibilities for a minute, personal air conditioning, chilled beer on tap from your ridiculous looking beer cap and cooler gadgets. Overheating exploding phones ring a bell anyone? Ahem. But there are more serious applications as well such as being able to replace all of the gas coolant in your fridge, which will reduce their harmful impact on the environment, and helping create more efficient air conditioning systems that today consume over 185 billion kW/h in the US alone.
A Small Miracle For Fridge and Gadget-kind
The technology is based on something called the “Electrocaloric effect,” where a material’s temperature changes when an electric field is applied to it. While at present it’s still a proof of concept, on the surface at least it looks like this is a gadget to get excited about, and the first prototype can crank out over 150 times as much cooling per gram of material as the best previous electrocaloric device.
Additionally, the new tech has so far proved capable of undergoing over 30,000 cycles of electrification without starting to degrade, and in a demonstration it was attached to a Samsung Galaxy G4 smartphone battery that had been heated to 52.5 degrees Celsius, thanks to heavy use, and within just five seconds of being applied, it had chilled the Galaxy’s battery by 8 degrees. No boom there then I guess.
“The development of practical efficient cooling systems that do not use chemical coolants that are potent greenhouse gases is becoming even more important as developing nations increase their use of air conditioning,” said Roy Kornbluh, an SRI research engineer.
Going forward, the idea is to develop the technology in new ways, and, for instance, the team thinks it could be useful as a way of building portable refrigerators for the developing world.
A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Science.
What this means for your organisation
Cooling without harmful gases.
Electrocaloric devices could replace chemical coolants that are potent greenhouse gases. Demand for air conditioning keeps rising in developing nations. Sustainability leaders should track this as a route to lower emissions.
Safer, cooler devices.
Thin coolers could stop batteries and electronics overheating. That reduces fire risk and lets designers push more power into small products. Device makers should test the technology in their thermal designs.
Still a proof of concept.
The device is early and must scale to larger loads. Durability results are promising. Leaders should set up small partnerships rather than wait for a finished product.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where do chemical coolants appear in our products or buildings?
- Could thin coolers reduce battery risk in our devices?
- Should we partner on early electrocaloric research?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The world has an insatiable thirst for cooling, whether it's cool fridges and freezers, or as a way to cool our gadgets increasingly powerful batteries and electronics, now solid state cooling could put an end to things that go boom in the night.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Electrocaloric effect en.wikipedia.org
- Science science.sciencemag.org
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 10 December 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). New solid state coolant could spell the end of exploding batteries. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/new-solid-state-coolant-could-spell-the-end-of-exploding-batteries/
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