Radiative Cooling: Lattice Quantization and Surface Emissivity in Thin Coatings

Nanodiamond powder (NDP), multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT), and carbon black (CB) were dispersed in an acrylate (AC) emulsion to form composite materials. These materials were coated on aluminum panels (alloy 3003) to give thin coatings. The active phonons of the nanomaterials were designed to act as a cooling fan, termed "molecular fan (MF)". The order of lattice quantization, as investigated by Raman spectroscopy, is MWCNT > CB >> NDP. The enhanced surface emissivity of the MF coating (as observed by IR imaging) is well-correlated to lattice quantization, resulting in a better cooling performance by the MWCNT-AC composite. MF coatings with different concentrations (0%, 0.4%, 0.7%, and 1%) of MWCNT were prepared. The equilibrium temperature lowering of the coated panel was observed with an increase in the loading of CNTs and was measured as 17 degrees C for 1% loading of MWCNT. This was attributed to an increased density of active phonons in the MF coating.