COMPOSITE MATERIAL FOR PASSIVE RADIATIVE COOLING
A composite material for passive radiative cooling including a base layer, and at least one emissive layer located adjacent to a surface of the base layer, wherein the at least one emissive layer is affixed to the surface of the base layer via a binding agent.
1 . A method of providing a composite material for passive radiative cooling to a surface, said method comprising:
obtaining access to an object to be cooled through passive radiative cooling, said object having a surface;
applying to said surface a liquid suspension of microparticles in a liquid binding agent; and
curing said binding agent so as to form a thermally-emissive layer on said surface, whereby said thermally-emissive layer is affixed to said surface via said binding agent.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said object comprises a base layer to which said liquid suspension is applied, said base layer comprising a reflective substrate.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said reflective substrate is composed of at least one of aluminum, silver, glass, polyurethane, nylon, and polyethylene fibers.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said reflective substrate comprises paint.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binding agent is composed of a polymer material.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binding agent is transparent.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said binding agent includes a characteristic thickness less than or equal to approximately 50 μm.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one emissive layer is composed of silica material.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one emissive layer comprises a plurality of microparticles.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of microparticles is composed of silica material.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of microparticles includes a characteristic dimension between about 5 to about 50 μm.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each of said plurality of microparticles includes a characteristic dimension less than or equal to 30 μm.
13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said liquid suspension is applied in the form of a spray.
14 . A method of providing a composite material for passive radiative cooling to a surface, said method comprising:
obtaining access to an object to be cooled through passive radiative cooling, said object having a base layer;
applying to said base layer a liquid suspension of microparticles in a liquid binding agent to said base layer, and
curing said binding agent so as to form at least one thermally-emissive layer located adjacent to a surface of the base layer, wherein the surface of the base layer comprises a reflective substrate comprising an adhesive layer, and wherein the at least one emissive layer is affixed to the base layer via the adhesive layer of the base layer.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said reflective substrate comprises paint.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said reflective substrate comprises glue.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said at least one emissive layer comprises a silica material.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said at least one emissive layer comprises a plurality of microparticles.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of said plurality of microparticles includes a characteristic dimension between about 5 to about 50 μm.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein each of said plurality of microparticles includes a characteristic dimension less than or equal to 30 μm.
21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein said liquid suspension is applied in the form of a spray.