High-Performance Radiative Cooling Fabrics

IEEE Study Highlights Relevant Cooling Research

A study published in the IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics has evaluated passive daytime radiative cooling fabrics applied to woven fabrics. The findings demonstrate that silicone-based coatings containing zirconium oxide nanoparticles can be effectively deposited on glass fiber, carbon fiber, and Kevlar textiles to achieve high solar reflectance between 92.8% and 96.5% and infrared emissivity between 95.3% and 96.3%.

In the study, the coated cooling fabrics outperformed uncoated materials and commercial cotton in thermal management, with the glass fiber variant maintaining an average temperature 8.3 degrees Celsius lower than cotton under direct sunlight. The coatings retained their optical performance after exposure to flame and repeated washing cycles while preserving breathability and water resistance.

The research specifically addressed the limitations of previous passive cooling fabrics, which were typically designed for near-ambient conditions and tended to degrade under mechanical stress or extreme heat.

Image Credit: IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics

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