Sign in
Kaustresearchers develop eco-friendly cooling film: Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) have developed a novel passive cooling technique that uses a superabsorbent polymer film to lower temperatures without the use of any electricity, according to a statement. The team — who published their findings (pdf) in Nature Communications Journal — is currently designing a simplified device to produce the film at an industrial scale.
Why does it matter? The researchers demonstrated that the film can reduce the temperature by 5 °C under a partly cloudy sky, potentially saving up to 3.3% of the total energy consumption for cooling if used on a commercial scale.
How does it work? The film is made from sodium polyacrylate, a material commonly used in diapers, hair gels, and soaps due to its ability to absorb and retain water. Kaust’s super-absorbent polymer can collect moisture from the air at night and release it during the day for evaporative cooling, lowering the temperature by using the evaporated water to cool hot air. The material also has high thermal emissivity and reflectivity properties to allow for radiative cooling — a process that involves the emission of infrared thermal radiation from a surface to its surroundings (including the atmosphere and outer space), to cool down its temperature.
Lots of potential energy applications ahead: The team is now working on scaling up the production and exploring applications for the film, such as cooling solar panels, light-emitting diodes (semiconductors that act as a one-way switch for current), and batteries. The research team is using a lab-scale roll-to-roll processing method powered by a steam generator to speed up manufacturing without depending on outdoor moisture, one of the researchers explained. “They are now designing a streamlined machine to achieve industrial-level fabrication,” the statement added.
