Nanoporous polyethylene microfibres for large-scale radiative cooling fabric

Yucan Peng, Jun Chen, Alex Y. Song, Peter B. Catrysse, Po-Chun Hsu, Lili Cai, Bofei Liu, Yangying Zhu, Guangmin Zhou, David S. Wu, Hye Ryoung Lee, Shanhui Fan and Yi Cui ()
Additional contact information
Yucan Peng: Stanford University
Jun Chen: Stanford University
Alex Y. Song: Stanford University
Peter B. Catrysse: Stanford University
Po-Chun Hsu: Stanford University
Lili Cai: Stanford University
Bofei Liu: Stanford University
Yangying Zhu: Stanford University
Guangmin Zhou: Stanford University
David S. Wu: Stanford University
Hye Ryoung Lee: Stanford University
Shanhui Fan: Stanford University
Yi Cui: Stanford University

Nature Sustainability, 2018, vol. 1, issue 2, 105-112

Abstract: Abstract Global warming and energy crises severely limit the ability of human civilization to develop along a sustainable path. Increasing renewable energy sources and decreasing energy consumption are fundamental steps to achieve sustainability. Technological innovations that allow energy-saving behaviour can support sustainable development pathways. Energy-saving fabrics with a superior cooling effect and satisfactory wearability properties provide a novel way of saving the energy used by indoor cooling systems. Here, we report the large-scale extrusion of uniform and continuous nanoporous polyethylene (nanoPE) microfibres with cotton-like softness for industrial fabric production. The nanopores embedded in the fibre effectively scatter visible light to make it opaque without compromising the mid-infrared transparency. Moreover, using industrial machines, the nanoPE microfibres are utilized to mass produce fabrics. Compared with commercial cotton fabric of the same thickness, the nanoPE fabric exhibits a great cooling power, lowering the human skin temperature by 2.3 °C, which corresponds to a greater than 20% saving on indoor cooling energy. Besides the superior cooling effect, the nanoPE fabric also displays impressive wearability and durability. As a result, nanoPE microfibres represent basic building blocks to revolutionize fabrics for human body cooling and pave an innovative way to sustainable energy.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0023-2

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