Self-Cooling Textiles—Substrate Independent Energy-Free Method Using Radiative Cooling Technology

Abstract

Due to climate change, population increase, and the urban heat island effect (UHI), the demand for cooling energy, especially in urban areas, has increased and will further increase in the future. Technologies such as radiative cooling offer a sustainable and energy-free solution by using the wavelength ranges of the atmosphere that are transparent to electromagnetic radiation, the so-called atmospheric window (8–13 µm), to emit thermal radiation into the colder (3 K) outer space. Previous publications in the field of textile building cooling have focused on specific fiber structures and textile substrate materials as well as complex multi-layer constructions, which restrict the use for highly scaled outdoor applications. This paper describes the development of a novel substrate-independent coating with spectrally selective radiative properties. By adapting the coating parameters and combining low-emitting and solar-reflective particles, along with a matrix material emitting strongly in the mid-infrared range (MIR), substrate-independent cooling below ambient temperature is achieved. Moreover, the coating is designed to be easily applicable, with a low thickness, to ensure high flexibility and scalability, making it suitable for various applications such as membrane architecture, textile roofs, or tent construction. The results show a median daytime temperature reduction (7 a.m.–7 p.m.) of 2 °C below ambient temperature on a hot summer day.