Barocal develops cooling technology using pressure-sensitive plastic crystals

Refrigerators today still rely on essentially the same underlying technology they used more than a century ago. Despite advancements in many fields, vapour compression — the method currently used to keep food cold — remains dominant because of its affordability and reliability. However, one startup is aiming to introduce a different approach.

Barocal has developed a new heating and cooling method that relies entirely on a low-cost solid material. Early prototypes have already matched the effectiveness of conventional refrigerator compressors, while also offering the potential to consume significantly less energy. Another advantage is that the system avoids the risk of leaking climate-warming gases, a long-standing issue associated with vapour compression systems.

To move the technology closer to commercialisation, Barocal has secured $10 million in seed funding. Investors participating in the round include World Fund, Breakthrough Energy Discovery, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, and IP Group.

The foundation of Barocal’s innovation comes from research led by its founder, Xavier Moya. He explained that his interest in heating and cooling technologies dates back to his childhood in Spain, where he spent long hours studying in a warm room. He recalled how impactful it felt when air conditioning was first introduced in his home.

Now a professor of materials physics at the University of Cambridge, Moya has explored various types of refrigerants, with a particular focus on solid materials that release and absorb heat via mechanical pressure. He often illustrates this concept with a simple example involving a balloon: when stretched, it warms, and when released, it cools.

“If you stretch it, it gets hot. And then if you wait, when you let it go, it feels cold,” he explained.

Barocal’s materials operate on a similar principle. These substances, related to widely used organic materials found in products like plastics and paints, behave differently under pressure. In their normal state, the molecules within them move freely. When compressed, molecular movement is restricted, causing the material to release heat. Once the pressure is removed, the material absorbs heat again.

The company applies this process to transfer heat. In a refrigeration system, for instance, the material can move heat from inside the fridge to the outside, effectively cooling its contents. Water is circulated across the material to carry the heat away and deliver it to a radiator.

Because the system uses solid materials rather than gases, it eliminates concerns around refrigerant leaks. Traditional refrigeration systems often rely on gases that can either damage the ozone layer or significantly contribute to global warming. Some of these refrigerants can have a warming impact more than 1,000 times greater than carbon dioxide.

While the technology could be used across different scales, Barocal is initially focusing on larger systems such as HVAC units and commercial refrigeration, where improved efficiency could have a more immediate financial and environmental impact. “We are looking at bigger commercial systems where I think we can make a bigger impact faster,” Moya said.