Metallic Coatings Boost the Cooling Power of Nanoporous Alumina

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate the increasing impact of heat waves. However, achieving effective PDRCs requires cost-effective, ecofriendly, and industrially scalable materials. In this study, we investigate the potential of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanostructures coated with metals as passive radiative coolers. We explore the effects of different metallic coatings (Al and Au) with varying thicknesses (ranging from 20 to 100 nm) on the cooling performance of the AAO nanostructures. Our finding reveals a maximum temperature reduction (ΔT) of 12.5 °C for 60 nm of Au coating. Furthermore, we demonstrate the dependence of the cooling performance on ambient temperature, emphasizing the practical benefits of these enhanced AAO-based radiative coolers for real-world applications. Notably, our results surpass previous works, offering an avenue to enhance the PDRC capability.