Composite cooling film comprising an organic polymeric layer, a UV-absorbing layer, and a reflective metal layer

1. A composite cooling film comprising:

a non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer having an absorbance of at least 0.80 in a wavelength range of from 8 to 13 microns;

a metal layer that is disposed inwardly of the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer,

wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer and the metal layer collectively exhibit an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of at least 85% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers;

and,

an antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer of organic polymeric material, the antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer being disposed outwardly of the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer and comprising an outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface,

wherein the composite cooling film has an average absorbance over the wavelength range 8-13 microns of at least 0.85.

2. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer is a microporous layer comprising an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of at least 50% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers.

3. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer is a nonporous layer comprising an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of less than 15% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers.

4. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the metal layer comprises an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of at least 85% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers.

5. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer has an absorbance of at least 0.9 in a wavelength range of from 8 to 13 microns.

6. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the composite cooling film further comprises a layer of pressure-sensitive adhesive that is disposed inwardly of the reflective metal layer and that is disposed inwardly of a corrosion protection layer, if present.

7. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer is loaded with at least one UV-blocking additive.

8. The composite cooling film of claim 1 , wherein the antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer is an acrylate-based hardcoat layer.

9. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the metal layer comprises a layer of vapor-coated metal that is in direct contact with an inwardly-facing surface of the antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer.

10. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the reflective metal layer comprises metal chosen from the group consisting of silver, aluminum, gold and copper, and alloys and blends thereof.

11. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the composite cooling film further comprises a corrosion-protection layer disposed inward of the reflective metal layer, wherein the corrosion-protection layer is copper, silicon dioxide, or aluminum silicate.

12. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the reflective metal layer is silver, a silver/gold blend, or a silver/copper blend.

13. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer is a nonporous polyester film comprising an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of less than 15% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers and having an absorbance of at least 0.80 in a wavelength range of from 8 to 13 microns; wherein the metal layer is a layer of silver or aluminum comprising an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of at least 85% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers; wherein the antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing layer of organic polymeric material is an organic polymeric hardcoat that is loaded with at least one UV-blocking additive, and wherein the outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface of the antisoiling layer exhibits surface texture in the form of micro-structures and/or nano-structures.

14. The composite cooling film of claim 1 wherein the outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface of the antisoiling layer is a textured surface comprising micro-structures and/or nano-structures.

15. The composite cooling film of claim 14 , wherein the outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface of the antisoiling layer extends along an axis, and wherein a plane containing the axis defines a cross-section of the antisoiling layer and intersects the surface to define a line describing the surface in two dimensions, the layer comprising:

a series of micro-structures at least partially defined by the line, the line defining a series of alternating micro-peaks and micro-spaces along the axis, wherein each micro-space comprises a maximum absolute slope defining an angle from the axis of at most 30 degrees, wherein each micro-peak comprises a first micro-segment defining a first average slope and a second micro-segment defining a second average slope, and wherein an angle formed between the first and second average slopes is at most 120 degrees; and

a plurality of nano-structures at least partially defined by the line, the line defining at least one series of nano-peaks disposed on at least the micro-spaces along the axis,

wherein each nano-peak has a height and each corresponding micro-peak has a height of at least 10 times the height of the nano-peak.

16. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein the micro-peak first average slope is positive, and the micro-peak second average slope is negative.

17. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein a width of each micro-space is at least one of: at least 10% of a corresponding micro-peak distance or at least 10 micrometers.

18. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein a micro-peak distance between micro-peaks is in a range from 1 micrometer to 1000 micrometers.

19. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein the micro-peaks have a height of at least 10 micrometers.

20. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein each nano-peak comprises a first nano-segment defining a first average slope and a second nano-segment defining a second average slope, wherein an angle formed between the nano-peak first average slope and the nano-peak second average slope is at most 120 degrees.

21. The composite cooling film of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nano-structures is further disposed on the micro-peaks.

22. The composite cooling film of claim 14 , wherein at least some of the micro-structures and/or nano-structures are provided by inorganic particles present on the outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface.

23. A composite cooling film comprising:

a non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer having an absorbance of at least 0.80 in a wavelength range of from 8 to 13 microns;

a metal layer that is disposed inwardly of the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer,

wherein the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer and the metal layer collectively exhibit an average reflectance of electromagnetic radiation of at least 85% over a wavelength range from 400 to 2500 nanometers;

and,

an antisoiling, ultraviolet-absorbing hardcoat layer of organic polymeric material, the antisoiling layer being disposed outwardly of the non-fluorinated organic polymeric layer and comprising an outwardly-facing, exposed antisoiling surface;

wherein the composite cooling film has an average absorbance over the wavelength range 4-20 microns of at least 0.85.

24. An assembly comprising a composite cooling film of claim 1 secured to an exterior surface of a substrate so that the antisoiling surface of the antisoiling layer is outward-facing and exposed and so that the composite cooling film and the substrate are in thermal communication with each other.

25. The assembly of claim 24 wherein the composite cooling film is secured to the exterior surface of the substrate via a pressure-sensitive adhesive that is loaded with a UV-blocking additive.

26. A method of passively cooling a substrate, the method comprising securing a composite cooling film of claim 1 to an exterior surface of the substrate so that the antisoiling surface of the antisoiling layer is outward-facing and exposed, so that the composite cooling film and the substrate are in thermal communication with each other, and so that the substrate with the composite cooling film secured thereon is positioned so that it faces at least generally skyward.