A fabric that could provide a sustainable cooling alternative to clothing and air-conditioning units?
While that concept might seem crazy, a team of engineers from China's Zhengzhou University and the University of South Australia (UniSA) are dreaming big after impressive cooling results with their specially designed fabric, as Euronews Green detailed. They recently published the study in Science Bulletin journal.
The scientists hope the fabric can help combat the urban heat island effect and see a wide range of applications from wearable items like clothes to furniture and even building surface materials.
"The fabric's ability to passively reduce temperatures offers a sustainable alternative to conventional air conditioning, providing energy savings and reducing the strain on power grids during heatwaves," UniSA visiting researcher Yangzhe Hou told Euronews Green.
The fabric taps into the power of radiative cooling with three layers that act in symphony to radiate heat to the atmosphere and reflect heat away. The concoction features an upper layer of polymethyl pentene fibers, a middle layer of silver nanowires, and a bottom layer of wool.
In the experiments, it cooled temperatures by 2.3 degrees Celsius (4 degrees Fahrenheit) when compared to conventional textiles and up to 6.2 degrees Celsius (11.1 degrees Fahrenheit) than the surrounding area when deployed as a horizontal surface covering.
As 2024 brought record-setting heat around the world, cities faced some of the most challenging conditions for residents trying desperately to stay cool in temperatures that can swell to 15-20 degrees higher than surrounding areas.
Blasting the AC comes with its own problems, as it requires a ton of energy and places a ton of strain on the grid. That can result in outages that exacerbate the issues.
Green tech — like heat pumps that can cool more efficiently, better weatherized homes, and natural remedies like planting trees — can play a major role in improving conditions during heat waves. UMass scientists are among many other researchers who are testing wearable clothing remedies to help keep people cool and lower air conditioning usage.
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Tapping into the power of clean solar and wind energy through huge batteries can help the grid stay up in challenging conditions, as well. Clean energy can play a role in collectively distancing us away from dirty energy that contributes to the warming of the planet and an increase in extreme weather conditions like heat waves.
Impressive as the study's results were, the tech faces a few hurdles before widespread commercialization, per Euronews Green.
A major sticking point is the pricey production process. Another open question is the durability of the fabric when it comes to building applications. The engineers say they will need government support to fully investigate that in the coming years.
Lastly, there are some questions about its viability as a consumer product offering at a higher price point.
"Whether consumers are willing to pay more for wearable fabrics depends on the cooling effect, durability, comfort and their environmental awareness," the scientists said, per Euronews Green.
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