Chinese researchers from the Institute of Metal Research at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, under the leadership of Prof. Li Bing, unveiled a revolutionary refrigeration breakthrough on January 22, 2026, detailed in the prestigious journal Nature. This innovation harnesses the "dissolution barocaloric effect" using a simple mixture of ammonium thiocyanate salt and water, transforming a basic chemical process into a powerhouse of eco-friendly cooling that sidesteps the pitfalls of conventional systems.

The process starts with pressurizing the solution, prompting the salt to crystallize and release heat to the surroundings. Releasing the pressure triggers rapid re-dissolution, sucking in massive heat—up to 67 joules per gram in simulated cycles—with an impressive 77% energy efficiency. At ambient temperatures, it delivers a 30 Kelvin drop in just 20 seconds, scaling to 54 Kelvins under hotter conditions, outpacing solid-state alternatives by a wide margin and enabling seamless fluid flow through heat exchangers for superior transfer.

This fluid-based design eliminates high-global-warming-potential gases that power 95% of today's market-dominant vapor-compression units, which guzzle 20% of China's electricity and spew 7.8% of its carbon emissions. Ideal for booming sectors like AI data centers facing extreme heat loads, the system's proven stability via in-situ spectroscopy ensures reversibility and instant response, paving the way for scalable, zero-emission applications from home fridges to industrial chillers amid projections of cooling demand tripling by 2050.