The next step is to get the material working on larger systems and in a wider variety of scenarios, something the researchers are already in the process of doing by partnering up with data center providers.
Analysts expect data center electricity usage in 2028 to be double what it was in 2023, driven largely by the increasing demands of artificial intelligence models. That presents a real energy demand problem – one that scientists are working hard to solve.
"Our material can enable sustainable cooling in energy-intensive applications, from data centers to aerospace, paving the way for more efficient and eco-friendly technologies," says Wu.