Design and preparation of flexible double-layered daytime radiative cooling composite film with antifouling property

Energy and environmental concerns are becoming more prominent with the widespread use of high-power-consuming cooling devices. Radiative cooling has lately gained popularity as a new energy-saving and environmentally beneficial technique. Here, we fabricated a double-layered radiative cooling composite film by coating a metal aluminum (Al) sheet with a SiO2/TiO2/PDMS (STP) using the tape casting method. In the STP coating layer, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is employed as the matrix material, and SiO2/TiO2 particles are dispersed evenly in it. The SiO2/TiO2/PDMS/Al (STP-Al) composite film shows 91% sunlight reflectivity and 83% atmospheric transparent window emissivity. An outdoor cooling test revealed that the STP-Al can provide a cooling effect of 5.3 degrees C in direct sunlight with an intensity of 523 W m(-2). Furthermore, it has excellent antifouling properties and superior strength, enabling it to be used outdoors for an extended time. Due to its superior performance and easy preparation procedures, it can be fabricated on a large scale and has a broad range of practical applications in daily life.

Automated summary

In this study, a double-layered radiative cooling composite film was fabricated and showed excellent performance in energy saving, environmental friendliness, and practical applications.