Issue 13, 2024

Both sub-ambient and above-ambient conditions: a comprehensive approach for the efficient use of radiative cooling

Abstract

In real-world radiative cooling applications, cooling surface temperatures may periodically fluctuate between sub- and above-ambient conditions. Traditional radiative cooling surfaces with ‘static’ spectral properties cannot realize high-efficiency cooling owing to different spectral requirements for different working scenarios. Herein, we report an infrared self-adaptive radiative cooling (ISRC) approach to selectively regulate emission spectra in the range out of the atmospheric window, resulting in a broadband emitter or an atmospheric window-selective emitter. A bilayer structure that consists of an upper microporous SiO2 fiber layer and a bottom poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel layer was developed. Through directional transportation of a broadband emission liquid (i.e., water) in thermo-response hydrogels, the switch of the spectra between selective infrared emissions (∼0.85) under the sub-ambient cooling condition and broadband emissions (∼0.92) under the above-ambient cooling condition was achieved. Improved temperature reductions of ∼4.1 °C (sub-ambient condition) and ∼12.4 °C (above-ambient condition) were measured compared to ‘static’ spectral radiative coolers. In addition, we implemented the simultaneous maximum improvement of daytime photovoltaic (12%) and nighttime thermoelectric (80%) power with the ISRC for round-the-clock electricity generation. The proposed ISRC approach demonstrates a comprehensive way to the efficient use of radiative cooling.

Graphical abstract: Both sub-ambient and above-ambient conditions: a comprehensive approach for the efficient use of radiative cooling

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
09 Dec 2023
Accepted
11 Apr 2024
First published
12 Apr 2024

Energy Environ. Sci., 2024,17, 4498-4507

Both sub-ambient and above-ambient conditions: a comprehensive approach for the efficient use of radiative cooling

H. Tang, C. Guo, F. Fan, H. Pan, Q. Xu and D. Zhao, Energy Environ. Sci., 2024, 17, 4498 DOI: 10.1039/D3EE04261H

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements