Polyethylene fibers containing directional microchannels for passive radiative cooling

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Passive radiative cooling (PRC) offers energy-free thermal management, crucial for reducing energy consumption.
• Developing efficient and scalable methods for fabricating PRC materials, especially polymer fibers, remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile, continuous, large-scale, and eco-friendly method for producing polymer fibers with radiative cooling properties.
• To investigate the passive radiative cooling performance of fabricated polyethylene fibers containing directional microchannels (PFCDM).

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PFCDM via melt extrusion and water leaching.
• Characterization of optical properties (sunlight reflectivity and mid-infrared emissivity).
• Evaluation of passive radiative cooling performance, including cooling power and temperature drop.

Main Results:

• PFCDM fabric exhibited high sunlight reflectivity (93.6%) and mid-infrared emissivity (93.9%).
• Achieved the highest reported cooling power (104.285 W m⁻²) and temperature drop (27.71 °C) among similar materials.
• Demonstrated decent self-cleaning properties, maintaining cooling efficiency over time.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method provides a scalable and eco-friendly route for producing high-performance PRC polymer fibers.
• PFCDM fabric shows significant potential for applications in energy-efficient thermal management.
• This work expands the use of thermoplastic polyolefins in radiative cooling technologies.