Micro and nano-structured materials with controlled radiative properties for radiative cooling applications

The escalating global surface and atmospheric temperatures necessitate increased cooling demands, urging the exploration of sustainable alternatives to conventional cooling systems. Radiative cooling emerges as a promising solution, leveraging the dissipation of thermal energy to deep space without external power input. This technique relies on materials capable of emitting long-wavelength infrared radiation while reflecting short-wavelength solar radiation, particularly within the atmospheric transparency window (8-13 μm). Numerous structures have been developed to optimize radiative cooling performance, including multilayered films, composite materials, and polymeric coatings. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in achieving scalability and practical applicability. This study builds upon utilizing a phase inversion technique to fabricate hierarchically porous poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) structures for efficient radiative cooling. Precise control over fabrication parameters yields materials with exceptional solar reflectivity (98.2%) and emissivity (98.5%), showcasing promising advancements towards sustainable cooling solutions.