Methods for torsional refrigeration by twisted, coiled, and supercoiled fibers and systems thereof

A mechanocaloric cooler comprising:

• (a) a cooling element that is selected from a group consisting of a fiber or yarn or an array of fibers, yarns, and combination thereof;
• and
• (b) a rotary actuator, wherein
• (i) the rotary actuator is operable to change twist of the cooling element, and
• (ii) the change in twist can be fiber or yarn twist or the twist of plying fibers, yarns, or combinations of fibers and yarns.

An article comprising a mechanocaloric cooler, wherein

• (a) the mechanocaloric cooler comprises a cooling element selected from a group consisting of:
• (i) cooling elements comprising a fiber or yarn that is in a highly twisted state, a partially or fully coiled state, or a partially of fully supercoiled state during one part of a cooling cycle and in a low twisted or non-twist state in another part of the cooling cycle;
• (ii) cooling elements comprising a fiber or yarn array that is in a highly plied state in one part of the cooling cycle and in a largely non-plied state in another part of the cooling cycle;
• (iii) cooling elements that are partially coiled, fully coiled, partially supercoiled, or fully supercoiled, which either cool when stretched or cool when stretch is released,
• (b) the article is selected from a group consisting of (i) refrigerators, (ii) microfluidic circuits, (iii) thermochromic-coated fibers or textiles that undergo mechanothermochromic color changes when stretched, (iv) infrared emitting structures for attracting or repulsing infrared sensitive marine organisms, (v) infrared-emitting light sources for an insect trap, and (vi) remotely optically readable sensors for torsional strain, tensile strain, environmental conditions, or combinations thereof.