Stretchable and Self-Cleaning Daytime Radiative Coolers for Human Fabric and Building Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Thermodynamics

Background:

• Radiative cooling technology has advanced significantly, but limited mechanical properties restrict practical applications, especially for wearable cooling fabrics.
• Developing materials with both effective cooling and robust mechanical performance is crucial for broader adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate facile and stretchable radiative coolers with exceptional cooling performance.
• To address the limitations of current radiative coolers in terms of mechanical properties for human cooling applications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized porous radiative cooler design principles to guide the development of elastomer coolers.
• Employed a simple electrospinning method for fabricating the stretchable radiative coolers.
• Evaluated cooling performance through solar reflectivity, infrared emissivity, and temperature drop measurements.

Main Results:

• Achieved impressive solar reflectivity (∼96.1%) and high infrared emissivity (over 95%).
• Demonstrated a maximum temperature drop of ∼9.6 °C under summer conditions.
• Exhibited superior hydrophobicity and mechanical properties, including a strain capacity exceeding 700% and stress tolerance over 30 MPa.

Conclusions:

• The developed elastomer coolers show significant potential for applications in automobile textiles and cooling fabrics due to their excellent cooling and mechanical properties.
• Global-scale modeling indicates substantial cooling potential for these stretchable coolers across diverse geographical regions.