Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Scalable Solution-processed Fabrication Strategy for High-performance, Flexible, Transparent Electrodes with Embedded Metal Mesh
Published on: June 23, 2017
Transparent Metamaterial Films with Multimodal Radiative Cooling for Outdoor Flexible Electronic Devices
Yawen Gong1,2, Zhao Wang1,2, Tong Wang1,2
1School of Artificial Intelligence Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
Abstract:
Effective thermal management presents a critical challenge for next-generation, high-power, flexible electronics, requiring innovative and energy-efficient strategies to safeguard device reliability and performance. Passive radiative cooling, a zero-energy carbon-free solution, has emerged as a highly promising approach. However, integrating heat conduction, radiation, and convection into a unified thermal management system for electronic displays without compromising optical transparency remains challenging. Here, we design a multimodal transparent radiative cooling film fabricated by embedding diamond microparticles into a poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomer matrix and patterning its surface with a pyramidal micronano array (PDMS/D-PA). The optimized film exhibits high solar spectral transmittance of 81.8%, broadband mid-infrared emissivity of 98%, and enhanced thermal conductivity of 3.33 W m-1 K-1. Outdoor tests show that the film-coated device achieves a steady-state temperature reduction of 14.8 °C compared to a bare counterpart under a solar irradiance of 820.8 W m-2. An alkylation treatment further renders the film superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 153.4°, providing self-cleaning capability and environmental durability. This composite film bridges the gap between esthetic needs and functional demands, offering a sustainable, passive thermal management strategy for ensuring the reliability and longevity of flexible outdoor electronic devices, such as wearable sensors, foldable displays, e-skin, and drone components.

