Abstract
Heat stress is being exacerbated by global warming, jeopardizing human and social sustainability. As a result, reliable and energy-efficient cooling methods are highly sought-after. Here, we report a polyacrylate film fabricated by self-moisture-absorbing hygroscopic hydrogel for efficient hybrid passive cooling. Using one of the lowest-cost industrial materials (e.g., sodium polyacrylate), we demonstrate radiative cooling by reducing solar heating with high solar reflectance (0.93) while maximizing thermal emission with high mid-infrared emittance (0.99). Importantly, the manufacturing process utilizes only atmospheric moisture and requires no additional chemicals or energy consumption, making it a completely green process. Under sunlight illumination of 800 W m−2, the surface temperature of the film was reduced by 5 °C under a partly cloudy sky observed at Buffalo, NY. Combined with its hygroscopic feature, this film can simultaneously introduce evaporative cooling that is independent of access to the clear sky. The hybrid passive cooling approach is projected to decrease global carbon emissions by 118.4 billion kg/year compared to current air-conditioning facilities powered by electricity. Given its low-cost raw materials and excellent molding feature, the film can be manufactured through simple and cost-effective roll-to-roll processes, making it suitable for future building construction and personal thermal management needs.
Recommended Citation
R. H. Galib et al., "Atmospheric-Moisture-Induced Polyacrylate Hydrogels for Hybrid Passive Cooling," Nature Communications, vol. 14, no. 1, article no. 6707, Nature Research, Dec 2023.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42548-0
Department(s)
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Publication Status
Open Access
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
2041-1723
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2025 The Authors, All rights reserved.
Creative Commons Licensing
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Publication Date
01 Dec 2023
PubMed ID
37872249
Comments
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Grant BAS/1/1415-01