Enhancing the thermal conductivity of EuTiO₃-based magnetocaloric materials by constructing continuous Cu networks

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enhancing the thermal conductivity of EuTiO3-based magnetocaloric materials by constructing continuous Cu networks

AU - Jiang, Jiaxin

AU - Xie, Huicai

AU - Shen, Zhiwen

AU - Ye, Zhixing

AU - Wang, Junfeng

AU - Zhang, Lei

AU - Gong, Jianjian

AU - Mo, Zhaojun

AU - Shen, Jun

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026

PY - 2026/11/20

Y1 - 2026/11/20

N2 - EuTiO3-based materials (ETO) exhibit impressive magnetocaloric performance, but the low thermal conductivity restricts their practical applications. Therefore, enhancing the thermal conductivity of these materials is crucial to advance their applications in magnetic refrigeration technology. Herein, we present a novel approach to enhance the thermal conductivity of EuTiO3-based magnetocaloric materials by constructing continuous Cu networks. For this purpose, copper plating layers were deposited on the surface of EuTi0.75Al0.125Zr0.125O3 (ETAZO) powders via electroless plating. The influences of plating temperature, pH value, and plating duration on the structure and morphology of the plated copper layer were investigated, obtaining the optimal process for electroless copper plating on ETAZO microspheres. The formation process of copper plating layers was investigated, revealing the mechanism of electroless copper plating. On this basis, continuous Cu networks were successfully constructed in a cold-pressed ETAZO/Cu composite. The high thermal conductivity of copper enables rapid heat conduction through Cu networks, thereby significantly enhancing the thermal conductivity of the composite. Encouragingly, the thermal conductivity of the composite reaches 2.18 W m−1 K−1 at 4.2 K, indicating an increase of 35 times compared to ETAZO (0.06 W m−1 K−1). Meanwhile, the maximum magnetic entropy change of the composite under the magnetic field change of 0‒1 T remains 15.6 J kg−1 K−1, exhibiting impressive magnetocaloric performance. The combination of outstanding magnetocaloric effect and high thermal conductivity enables ETAZO/Cu composite to be a practical cryogenic magnetic refrigerant.

AB - EuTiO3-based materials (ETO) exhibit impressive magnetocaloric performance, but the low thermal conductivity restricts their practical applications. Therefore, enhancing the thermal conductivity of these materials is crucial to advance their applications in magnetic refrigeration technology. Herein, we present a novel approach to enhance the thermal conductivity of EuTiO3-based magnetocaloric materials by constructing continuous Cu networks. For this purpose, copper plating layers were deposited on the surface of EuTi0.75Al0.125Zr0.125O3 (ETAZO) powders via electroless plating. The influences of plating temperature, pH value, and plating duration on the structure and morphology of the plated copper layer were investigated, obtaining the optimal process for electroless copper plating on ETAZO microspheres. The formation process of copper plating layers was investigated, revealing the mechanism of electroless copper plating. On this basis, continuous Cu networks were successfully constructed in a cold-pressed ETAZO/Cu composite. The high thermal conductivity of copper enables rapid heat conduction through Cu networks, thereby significantly enhancing the thermal conductivity of the composite. Encouragingly, the thermal conductivity of the composite reaches 2.18 W m−1 K−1 at 4.2 K, indicating an increase of 35 times compared to ETAZO (0.06 W m−1 K−1). Meanwhile, the maximum magnetic entropy change of the composite under the magnetic field change of 0‒1 T remains 15.6 J kg−1 K−1, exhibiting impressive magnetocaloric performance. The combination of outstanding magnetocaloric effect and high thermal conductivity enables ETAZO/Cu composite to be a practical cryogenic magnetic refrigerant.

KW - Continuous Cu network

KW - Electroless copper plating

KW - Magnetic refrigerant

KW - Magnetocaloric effect

KW - Thermal conductivity

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105032908298

U2 - 10.1016/j.jmst.2026.02.028

DO - 10.1016/j.jmst.2026.02.028

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105032908298

SN - 1005-0302

VL - 272

SP - 52

EP - 59

JO - Journal of Materials Science and Technology

JF - Journal of Materials Science and Technology

ER -