Polymer-based radiative coolers are promising for zero-energy heat management due to their flexibility and processability. However, their cooling performance and outdoor durability must be enhanced, specifically in weatherability, mechanical robustness, and anti-fouling properties. Here, we demonstrate a scalable radiative cooling polymer fabric based on a multi-layer assembly structure and photoluminescent material integration. This fabric exhibits high radiative cooling efficiency and notable environmental stability, demonstrating its potential as a candidate material for applications in energy-efficient building cooling and personal thermal management. The hierarchical core-shell architecture synergizes with photon-manipulating photoluminescence to optimize solar radiation blocking and thermal re-emission, achieving a remarkable effective solar reflectivity (ESR, 101.1%) in the specific spectral band. Combined with its exceptional average mid-infrared emissivity (95.34%), our multi-layer core-shell radiative cooling fabric (Mc-sRCF) delivers a maximum daytime sub-ambient cooling of 10.0 °C under Beijing summer conditions (peak solar intensity of 858 W·m- 2) while providing a cooling power contribution of 83.78 W·m- 2. Notably, the multi-level fiber architecture, synergistically integrated with stable chemical bonds on the outer layer and embedded multi-scale nanoparticles (TiO2), endows the fabric with superior mechanical robustness (tensile strength: 8.7 MPa), long-term UV resistance, rainproof/anti-fouling properties, and self-extinguishing flame retardancy, offering a promising pathway for durable outdoor applications.
Liu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.