Research progress in radiative cooling materials and their applications

doi:10.19491/j.issn.1001-9278.2025.01.021

Abstract

Abstract:

With the intensification of global warming and the frequent occurrence of extremely high temperature weather， there is an increasingly urgent demand for the cooling of human body， buildings， equipment， etc. However， traditional cooling methods such as air conditioning systems consume a large amount of energy， leading to a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions and seriously hindering the achievement of the goals for "Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality". The radiative cooling technology based on structural and material design provides a zero⁃energy consumption and eco⁃friendly cooling strategy for sustainable carbon neutrality through the selective and precise regulation of sunlight and mid⁃infrared spectrum. This article reviewed the research status and progress in the radiative cooling materials used in different fields and discussed their application prospects from different perspectives.

Key words: Radiative cooling, Materials selection, Application in different field, application prospect

CLC Number:

TQ317

GUO Sanci, WANG Lei, YUAN Hongyue, YANG Yidan, LIU Xianhu, PAN Yamin. Research progress in radiative cooling materials and their applications[J]. China Plastics, 2025, 39(1): 132-140.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig.1. Optimized daytime radiative cooler design and structural schematic and emissivity ε（λ，0） of the optimized daytime radiative cooler shown in at normal incidence （black） with the scaled AM1.5 solar spectrum （yellow） and atmospheric transmittance t（λ）（blue） plotted for reference［20］

Fig.2. （a） The glass⁃Al2O3 particle slurry，（b） The radiative cooling glass coating applied on a ceramic tile，（c） The radiative cooling glass coating can be fabricated on a large scale，（d） and （e）The measured temperature of a transparent glass substrate coated with the radiative cooling glass coating in the day and night，（f ） Photographs of the radiative cooling glass coating immersed in water and cleaned easily［33］

Fig.3. （a） Schematic representation of the transformation of cocoons into a TSRC film and its application to the radiative cooling，（b） Photograph demonstrating the visible transparency. Schematic representations of the working principles of （c） bare and （d） TSRC film⁃covered optoelectronic devices［33］

Fig.4. （a） SEM frontal view and the photograph of a silver ant，（b） Hemispherical reflectivity measured in the visible and NIR of the silver ant，（c） Temporal temperature profiles measured for the head before and after hair removal［53］，（d） SEM image and photograph of the Cyphochilusspecimen，（e）Temperatures of the samples and ambient air ［54］，（f） SEM images and photograph of a male N. gigas，（g） Image of the setup for daytime radiative cooling，（h） Temporal temperature data of the air and the Bio⁃RC film and （i） the subambient temperature drop of the Bio⁃RC film［55］

Fig.5. （a） Daytime cooling process，（b） Nighttime hydrogel regeneration process，（c） Outdoor experiment， Top panel： real⁃time solar intensity and environment humidity； medium panel： temperatures of P（VdF⁃HFP） film （ #1）， BPP film #2）， stainless⁃steel substrate （#3） and environment （#4）； bottom panel： mass changes of the Li-PAAm hydrogel［61］

Fig.6. （a） Schematic of the solar absorption and thermal radiation properties of solar panels，（b） With a photonic cooler coated on top of solar panel，（c） Photo （left） and a cross⁃section schematic （right） of a solar cell［66］，（d） Schematics of comparison between nanoPE， normal PE， and cotton，（e） Photo of commercial nanoPE ［71］，（f） Workflow of the proposed FWH system，（g） Model of the FWH system［77］

Fig.7. （a） Schematic of a passive TEG system based on solar heating and radiative cooling，（b） Photo of the system setup，（c） Photograph of the radiative cooler［82］

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