Thermal Energy Harvesting based on Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

This work presents novel thermomagnetic energy harvesting principles and demonstrators based on magnetic shape memory alloys (SMA). Sputter deposited ferro- and metamagnetic SMA films are characterized regarding their physical properties to identify suitable materials. Energy harvesting demonstrators achieve power densities of above 100 mW·cm?³ at an average power output of 2.34 µW. Thus, thermomagnetic energy harvesting competes for the first time with state-of-the-art thermoelectrics.