Journal
SCIENCE
Volume 364, Issue 6442, Pages 760-+Publisher
AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1126/science.aau9101
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Funding
- A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation
- A. James School of Engineering at the University of Maryland
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
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Reducing human reliance on energy-inefficient cooling methods such as air conditioning would have a large impact on the global energy landscape. By a process of complete delignification and densification of wood, we developed a structural material with a mechanical strength of 404.3 megapascals, more than eight times that of natural wood. The cellulose nanofibers in our engineered material backscatter solar radiation and emit strongly in mid-infrared wavelengths, resulting in continuous subambient cooling during both day and night. We model the potential impact of our cooling wood and find energy savings between 20 and 60%, which is most pronounced in hot and dry climates.
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