AUTHOR=Li Feng , Wang Chunchang , Shan Lei TITLE=Anomalous electrocaloric behaviors in (anti)ferroelectrics: a mini-review JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2024.1476273 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2024.1476273 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=Solid-state cooling, represented by electrocaloric effect (ECE) in (anti)ferroelectric materials, emerges as an alternative green refrigeration technology by virtue of its high efficiency and miniaturization and is expected to substitute for conventional vapor-compression method. A significant progress has been made in developing high-performance EC materials since its revival. However, anomalous EC behaviors are frequently observed, including asymmetrical and negative EC profiles, and the physical mechanism behind is still under debate. Its rationalization is of great importance since full utilization of anomalous EC behaviors could enhance EC strength and/or cooling capacity. This mini-review gives a brief of research advances for EC anomaly in (anti)ferroelectrics, with the hope of providing some thoughts in design of reconstructed refrigeration cycles and superior EC materials for applications in solid-state cooling devices.