معرفی
Xavier Moya is Professor of Materials Physics at the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy, University of Cambridge. His research focuses on thermal materials and phase transitions in functional materials where thermal, structural, magnetic and electrical properties display strong coupling. As leader of the Centre for Thermal Materials research group, he investigates caloric effects and magnetoelectric phenomena with applications in solid-state cooling technologies.
Moya received his BSc and PhD degrees from the University of Barcelona. His educational background provided the foundation for his expertise in materials physics and phase transitions, which he has developed through his academic career at Cambridge.
His research centers on caloric effects (magnetocaloric, electrocaloric, and mechanocaloric) that occur in materials due to changes in magnetic field, electric field, and stress field. These effects are largest near phase transitions and offer promising pathways for developing new solid-state cooling technologies. He also investigates magnetoelectric coupling between ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials, which enables electrical polarization to be modified by magnetic field and vice versa. These systems yield large magnetoelectric effects at room temperature, with applications in sensors, actuators, and data storage.
Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals a consistent focus on barocaloric, electrocaloric, and magnetocaloric effects in various material systems. His work spans from fundamental investigations of phase transitions in plastic crystals and perovskites to applied research on multilayer capacitors and thin-film devices. A strong theme throughout is the development of environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional vapor-compression refrigeration.
- Global Cooling Prize (2019) - Awarded by Mission Innovation (co-led by UK Government) and Rocky Mountain Institute
Moya's research has significant implications for addressing the environmental challenges posed by conventional refrigerants. His work on caloric materials provides a pathway toward solid-state cooling technologies that could replace hydrofluorocarbon-based systems responsible for significant greenhouse gas emissions. His collaborations with industry and other academic institutions have helped advance the field from fundamental research toward practical applications.
As leader of the Thermal Materials research group within the Centre for Thermal Materials, Moya oversees investigations into materials whose thermal properties can be controlled through external fields. The group employs a range of experimental techniques including electrical polarization measurements, calorimetry, and advanced microscopy to characterize caloric effects and phase transitions.
