A new metamaterial developed by a team of engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder has the ability to passively cool objects, even under direct sunlight.
The new material is a glass-polymer hybrid that measures 50 micrometers thick and reflects incoming solar energy while simultaneously allowing the surface it is applied to shed heat in the form of infrared thermal radiation, CU Boulder Today reports.
In order to accomplish the dual tasks of reflecting solar energy while also allowing infrared radiation to escape, the engineers embedded visibly-scattering but infrared-radiant glass microspheres into a polymer film. A thin silver coating was added underneath to achieve maximum spectral reflectance.
One of the researchers said through the addition of 10 to 20 sm of the material to a single-family rooftop, the house can be significantly cooled down in the summer. Because the metamaterial can be produced economically on rolls, applications can range from small single-family homes to large commercial projects.
Additionally, the glass-polymer hybrid can be used to improve the efficiency and lifetime of solar panels by preventing them from overheating, which reduces the ability to convert solar rays into electricity.
The next step for the researchers is to create a 200-sm “cooling farm” prototype this year while they wait to hear back regarding a patent.
Click here to read the original article and for images of the new material.
Related Stories
Building Materials | Nov 29, 2021
Daltile expands its Unity Collection of porcelain tiles with a new color
Addition of "Taupe" gives Daltile's Unity Collection three warm and three cool colors.
Urban Planning | Nov 11, 2021
Reimagining the concrete and steel jungle, SOM sees buildings that absorb more carbon than they emit
The firm presented its case for a cleaner built environment during the Climate Change conference in Scotland.
Sustainability | Oct 28, 2021
Reducing embodied carbon in construction, with sustainability leader Sarah King
Sustainability leader Sarah King explains how developers and contractors can use the new EC3 software tool to reduce embodied carbon in their buildings.
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Oct 1, 2021
Specifying Responsibly to Save Birds’ Lives
Realizing sustainable, bird-friendly glass design
Sponsored | Glass and Glazing | Oct 1, 2021
Seizing the Daylight with BIPV Glass
Glass has always been an idea generator. Now, it’s also a clean energy generator.
Wood | May 14, 2021
What's next for mass timber design?
An architect who has worked on some of the nation's largest and most significant mass timber construction projects shares his thoughts on the latest design trends and innovations in mass timber.
3D Printing | Nov 27, 2020
The Fibonacci House: A test case of 3D construction printing
The Fibonacci House, which we have named after Leonardo Fibonacci, the medieval Italian mathematician, illustrates the potential of 3DCP and demonstrates how a complex design and challenging logistics can be solved through pragmatic planning and 3DCP technology.
