A research team from the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has developed Korea’s first full-cycle magnetic cooling technology, marking a significant advancement in eco-friendly refrigeration. Led by Dr. Jong-Woo Kim and Dr. Da-Seul Shin, this innovative approach aims to replace conventional gas-based refrigerant systems, which are increasingly scrutinized for their environmental impact.
The newly developed magnetic cooling technology operates without gas refrigerants, utilizing the magnetocaloric effect. This principle allows a refrigerant material’s temperature to change when subjected to an external magnetic field, presenting a promising alternative to traditional cooling methods. Despite its potential, the commercialization of this technology has been hindered by the high cost of magnetocaloric materials and their reliance on rare-earth elements, which complicate price competitiveness.
To overcome these challenges, the KIMS team synthesized various magnetocaloric materials, including lanthanum (La)-based and manganese (Mn)-based alloys. They successfully fabricated components through advanced techniques such as hot rolling, cold drawing, and micro-channel machining. Notably, they achieved large-area La-based thin sheets, measuring 0.5 mm in thickness, and Gd-based fine wires with a diameter of 1.0 mm, demonstrating outstanding performance at the component level.
Innovations in Cooling Technology
The research team’s efforts yielded significant improvements in cooling efficiency and reliability, particularly with non-rare-earth Mn-based materials. By controlling thermal hysteresis and adjusting magnetic anisotropy, they enhanced the cooling performance of these materials. Furthermore, the introduction of Korea’s first measurement system for monitoring adiabatic temperature changes in magnetic cooling materials has allowed for precise evaluations of process-dependent property variations.
As global regulations on refrigerants tighten, particularly under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, the urgency for alternative cooling solutions grows. The amendment mandates the complete ban of several major gas refrigerants, including HFCs and HCFCs, by 2030. In countries like Germany, magnetic cooling systems are already showing coefficients of performance (COP) that exceed traditional refrigeration methods, indicating a shift towards this innovative technology as a viable cooling solution.
The development of this technology aligns with international decarbonization policies and climate initiatives. The KIMS team is committed to enhancing its technological prowess in magnetic cooling through impactful publications and key patents, having already achieved international competitiveness in manufacturing and non-rare-earth magnetic refrigerant materials.
Dr. Jong-Woo Kim emphasized the significance of this advancement, stating, “Once commercialized, this technology will overcome the limitations of conventional gas-based cooling systems and provide an eco-friendly and stable cooling solution.” 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.”
This 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). The findings were published in May 2025 in the academic journal Rare Metals (Impact Factor: 11.0), with Ph.D. candidate Sun-Young Yang as the lead author. The team has also secured a domestic patent for the magnetic cooling evaluation system and filed a corresponding application in the United States.
As the world seeks sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, KIMS’s advancements in magnetic cooling technology could play a pivotal role in reshaping the future of refrigeration.