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Universal Color Retrofit to Polymer-Based Radiative Cooling Materials
Yun Zhang1, Wei-Jie Feng2,3, Wenkai Zhu1
1School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|April 18, 2023
Summary
Colored radiative cooling films can now be manufactured using nanoimprinting. This technique offers a scalable, low-cost solution for sustainable building cooling and energy savings.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Radiative cooling materials offer sustainable, energy-saving benefits by emitting infrared radiation and minimizing solar absorption.
- Current coloration methods for these materials face limitations in terms of materials, cost, and scalability, hindering practical applications.
- Visual appeal through color is desirable for widespread adoption of radiative cooling technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a universally applicable and scalable coloration strategy for polymer-based radiative cooling materials.
- To demonstrate a method for inducing color in radiative cooling polymers without compromising their cooling performance.
- To validate the durability and effectiveness of the colored radiative cooling films.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing nanoimprinting to create periodic structures on polymer surfaces, modulating light interference to produce specular colors.
- Applying the nanoimprinting retrofit strategy to four different polymer films.
- Conducting field tests to evaluate daytime sub-ambient cooling performance.
- Performing dynamic spectral analysis to assess the durability of both radiative cooling and color.
Main Results:
- The nanoimprinting method successfully induced specular colors in polymer films while preserving their hemispheric optical responses for radiative cooling.
- The retrofitted polymer films exhibited low solar absorption, ranging from 1.7% to 3.7%.
- Field tests confirmed daytime sub-ambient cooling capabilities, and spectral analysis validated the long-term durability of the cooling effect and color.
Conclusions:
- Nanoimprinting provides a versatile, scalable, and cost-effective solution for coloring polymer-based radiative cooling materials.
- This approach overcomes previous limitations, enabling the development of visually appealing and high-performance radiative cooling solutions.
- The potential for roll-to-roll manufacturing positions this technology for widespread commercial adoption in sustainable building and energy-saving applications.
