Giovanni Baez Flores will present his comprehensive exam topic, “Theory of Magnetocaloric Effect & Magnetocaloric Materials”.

Abstract: In this study, we delve into the theoretical aspects and primary mechanisms which govern the magnetocaloric effect (MCE), explaining their significance and the utility in magnetic refrigeration. An examination of the pivotal role played by both magnetic and structural first-order transitions is provided. Furthermore, a comprehensive compilation of noteworthy magnetocaloric materials is presented, underscoring the challenges and advantages inherent to each distinct category of compounds. An overview of high-throughput computing (HTC) methodologies, which aim at identifying new magnetocaloric material, is outlined. In addition, we show recent progress in mitigating the hysteresis effects that impede MCE due to the presence of first-order phase transitions via the utilization of multicaloric materials. Lastly, future research directions are proposed directed at continuing the use of HTC methodologies, first-principles calculations, and data science to aid in the search of novel magnetocaloric and multicaloric materials.