Researchers at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have developed a spectrally selective hierarchical fabric (SSHF) that effectively reflects both visible sunlight and infrared thermal radiation, keeping surfaces significantly cooler than traditional materials under direct sunlight.
The SSHF fabric consists of silver nanowires, plastic, and a protective layer, and has a solar reflectance index of 0.97.
The fabric can keep temperatures up to 8.9°C cooler than commercial silk clothing and 2.3°C cooler than traditional sports fabrics, potentially increasing the duration of comfortable exposure to heat by up to a third.
Global heatwaves have been increasing, resulting in temperatures near or past 50°C (122°F) in many cities, with urban areas turning into "heat islands" due to thermal radiation from pavement and skyscrapers trapping and amplifying temperatures, making them hotter than surrounding areas.
These materials offer promising solutions for sustainable heat management in urban heat islands, with potential applications in clothing, construction, car interiors, food storage and transport, and building cooling systems.
The project was partly funded by the startup fund at Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and the National Science Foundation.
Sources: Chemistry World, La Nación, Helsingin Sanomat, New Scientist, Futurity, Vandal, Money.it, Caffeina Magazine, El Confidencial, Tempo.co, Xataka, Knowridge, El Español, Archinect, Designboom, Pieuvre, Torino Cronaca, Innovations Report, Technology Networks, Mirage News, EurekAlert!
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
