Regulation Mechanisms, Material Systems and Application Progress of Dynamic Radiative Cooling

Radiative cooling achieves low-energy heat rejection via radiative heat exchange between the ground surface and outer space. Nevertheless, static materials possess fixed spectral properties and tend to trigger overcooling in winter, at night or under low thermal loads. This paper reviews active regulation, passive self-adaptation, near-zero energy consumption and active-passive synergy mechanisms. It compares the regulation characteristics of electrochromism, mechanical/fluid switching, thermally induced phase change, thermosensitive hydrogel, humidity response and bistable structures. Applications in buildings, electronic devices, smart textiles, vehicle energy storage and aerospace thermal management are summarized. Finally, engineering challenges including cycle life, outdoor weather resistance, encapsulation, large-area fabrication, energy consumption accounting and testing standards are discussed.