Research Director: Ken-ichi Uchida
(Distinguished Group Leader, Spin Caloritronics Group, Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials, National Institute for Materials Science)
Research Term: Oct 2022 - Mar 2028
Grant Number: JPMJER2201

Magnets are used in electric vehicle motors and power generators, and are essential materials for human life. The fusion research field on the interaction of electron spin (origin of magnetism), charge, and heat is called spin caloritronics. In this field, new phenomena are being discovered one after another, and are expected to lead to new energy-saving technologies. However, most of the spin-caloritronic phenomena are only observed at the nanoscale, and it has been difficult to use these phenomena in macroscale materials that contribute to energy applications. Against this background, this research project creates “magnetic thermal management materials,” a group of energy materials that realize highly efficient thermal energy conversion, control, and transfer. Magnetic thermal management materials are defined as a generic term for new magnetic hybrid/composite materials in which the thermo-spin conversion capability, which has been available only on the nanoscale, plays an essential role on the macroscale and the thermal management performance and functionality are improved through nanostructure and interface control. Through this project, we will develop materials science that links nanoscale spin physics and macroscale thermophysical properties, and bring about thermal energy device applications of spin caloritronics.

Research Groups

- Thermal management principle and functionality development group
- Multi-hierarchical structure analysis group
- Magnetic thermal management device group
- Hierarchy-controlled material synthesis group
- Spatiotemporal thermal measurement group
- Thermal control engineering fusion group

Project Headquarters

Spin Caloritronics Group, Research Center for Magnetic and Spintronic Materials, National Institute for Materials Science
1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 JAPAN
TEL: +81-(0)29-859-2062