Colored Radiative Cooling: from Photonic Approaches to Fluorescent Colors and Beyond.
Tao Wang1, Ying Liu2, You Dong1
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, 999077, China.
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|March 5, 2025
Summary
Colored radiative cooling (CRC) offers a sustainable way to reduce energy use for cooling. This review explores advancements in CRC materials, focusing on photonic approaches and their impact on energy savings and applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Radiative cooling technology is crucial for sustainable thermal comfort and reducing energy consumption.
- Colored radiative cooling (CRC) materials are increasingly important for aesthetic and functional requirements, moving beyond white opaque designs.
- CRC enhances cooling by increasing solar reflectance, often incorporating fluorescent materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in colored radiative cooling (CRC) technology.
- To explore the impact of CRC on energy savings and real-world applications.
- To discuss challenges and future development of CRC materials.
Main Methods:
- Introduction to the fundamentals of CRC and color characterization.
- Exploration of photonic approaches using resonant structures for coloration.
- Comparison with conventional coloration methods, including fluorescent pigments.
- Investigation of self-adaptive CRC materials with dynamic optical modulation.
Main Results:
- Photonic structures offer effective methods for achieving coloration in radiative cooling.
- Fluorescent materials can enhance solar reflectance and cooling performance.
- Self-adaptive CRC materials demonstrate dynamic optical modulation in response to temperature.
Conclusions:
- CRC technology presents significant potential for energy savings and diverse applications.
- Further research into photonic approaches and self-adaptive materials is promising.
- Addressing practical application challenges is critical for widespread adoption of CRC.
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