Coral-Inspired Multi-Scale Porous Particle-Nested Structure for Efficient Colored Radiative Cooling

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Sustainable Energy

Background:

• Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) is crucial for energy conservation and achieving carbon neutrality.
• Developing colored PDRC materials that balance cooling performance with aesthetics for outdoor use is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a novel polymer-based material for efficient colored passive daytime radiative cooling.
• To address the limitations of current PDRC materials in terms of color and outdoor applicability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a polymer framework with a hierarchical pore-particle-nested structure.
• Characterization of optical properties (solar reflectance, thermal emissivity) of the material and its colored variants.
• Evaluation of mechanical and hydrophobic properties for outdoor suitability.

Main Results:

• Achieved a solar reflectance of 93.6% and thermal emissivity of 91.1% for the base material.
• Colored variants (blue, pink, yellow) demonstrated high solar reflectance (80.6%-88.1%).
• The pore-particle-nested structure effectively scatters sunlight, enhancing cooling performance.

Conclusions:

• The engineered polymer structure enables efficient colored PDRC films with high solar reflectance and thermal emissivity.
• Enhanced mechanical and hydrophobic properties make the material suitable for practical outdoor applications.
• This study presents a cost-effective strategy for developing aesthetically pleasing and high-performance PDRC materials.