Fibrous Sphere Architectures for Efficient Daytime Radiative Cooling and Moisture Management.

Thiyagarajan, Dhandayuthapani; Li, Shichen; Lee, Bong-Kee · Nano Lett · 2025

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

A radiative cooling nanofabric was designed to reflect incoming solar light, exhibit strong emissivity, and simultaneously provide moisture-wicking properties, making it suitable for personal thermal management in hot outdoor environments. We developed a nanofabric with fibrous sphere architecture, consisting of polyacrylonitrile-SiO<sub>2</sub> and poly(vinylidene fluoride-<i>co</i>-hexafluoropropylene)-TiO<sub>2</sub>-Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> as hydrophilic and hydrophobic layers, complementing high solar reflectivity and directional water transport as well as promising thermal and moisture management capabilities. The fibrous sphere architecture possessed excellent solar reflectivity (93%) and strong emissivity (∼0.95). In outdoor conditions under direct sunlight, the nanofabric was shown to reduce skin temperature by 15 °C compared to the cotton textile. Furthermore, the nanofabric exhibited a subambient radiative cooling capacity of 5 °C at noon and 2 °C at nighttime. This nanofabric architecture provides a promising pathway for the development of radiative cooling nanofabrics with integrated sweat/moisture management, enabling personal cooling technologies and heat control in daily life.