Elastocaloric effect in rubber on exposure to a periodic tensile force

Abstract

The elastocaloric effect (ECE) is experimentally studied in latex rubber subjected to the periodic action of a tensile force. The ECE is measured as a function of the relative elongation and the cycle frequency up to 4 Hz. Three cycle frequencies in which different thermodynamic processes, namely, elastocaloric cooling, self-heating, and a decrease in the ECE, occur are revealed. The maximum measured value of ECE in latex rubber reaches 14 K at a relative strain of 700% in the frequency range 0.1–0.3 Hz. The possibility of practical application of latex rubber for elastocaloric cooling is discussed.