Printable polymer nanocomposites for scalable and architected radiative cooling

2025-12-27
Nature Communications
Kai Zhou, Songtao Tang, Pranto Karua, Fukang Wu, Sungmin Hong, Diya Patel, Gwendolyn M. Reeser, Donald M. Cropek, Paul V. Braun, Lili Cai

Abstract

Space cooling and lighting together consume 25% of global electricity, yet existing daytime radiative coolers are mostly limited to porous planar coatings that block visible light and lack durability. Here, we introduce rheology-optics coupling as a design principle that links polymer viscoelasticity to particle dispersion and optical scattering. Guided by this principle, we develop printable polydimethylsiloxane-zirconium oxide composites that achieve solar reflectance ( ~ 97.3%) and mid-infrared emissivity ( ~ 96.9%) comparable to the best reported values, despite a low filler loading of only ~4.5 vol.%. These scalable coatings provide up to 7.4 oC sub-ambient cooling and cut electricity use by 37% versus commercial paint in pilot-scale testing, while withstanding mechanical, thermal, and environmental stresses. Beyond planar coatings, the rheology-tunable polydimethylsiloxane-zirconium oxide ink enables direct ink writing of daylight-regulating architectures that deliver sub-ambient radiative cooling while admitting diffuse daylight for illumination, reducing both cooling and lighting demand. This work provides a practical and versatile platform for radiative cooling.