Eco-Friendly Skin-Wrinkle-Inspired Micro-Nano Structured Cellulose Composite Fibers for Highly Efficient Daytime Radiative Cooling
Passive radiative cooling fabrics offer a sustainable pathway to reduce energy consumption in thermal management, yet their reliance on petroleum-derived materials and complex coating processes compromises both environmental compatibility and wearability. To address these challenges, we propose a bioinspired, coating-free strategy by designing regenerated cellulose/SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticle fibers (RCSF) via wet-spinning. Mimicking the micro-nano structure of the human skin surface (protrusion height ≈ 2 μm), the RCSF achieves simultaneous high solar reflectivity (93.7% at 0.4-1 μm) and infrared emissivity (0.98 at 8-13 μm) through intrinsic material properties rather than external coatings. The hierarchical porous structure enhances the specific surface area while maintaining air permeability (75% improvement vs pristine cellulose fabrics) and moisture-wicking performance. Under 800 W m<sup>-2</sup> solar irradiation, RCSF exhibits a net cooling power of 100.1 W m<sup>-2</sup>, translating to a 5 °C temperature reduction in summer environments compared with regenerated cellulose fibers (RCF). Crucially, this one-step fabrication method eliminates toxic paints and energy-intensive post-treatments, offering a cost-effective alternative to conventional coated fabrics. By integrating renewable cellulose with skin-wrinkle-inspired structural design, our work establishes a paradigm for eco-efficient radiative cooling materials that balance optical performance, wearer comfort, and scalable manufacturing.
Authors
- Meifang Zhu
- Jing Song (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8881-9664)
- Weiqing Kong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3453-6810)
- Chen Zeng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2937-3367)
- Hai-ning Yu
- Jianfeng Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9655-3571)
- Youwei Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0279-7597)
- Shufeng Hu
- Qihua Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5452-510X)
- Yuchen Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4245-7490)
- Yu Fang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0569-2953)
Institutions
- Donghua University (CN)
- Division of Materials Science and Engineering (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- ACS Nano
- Published
- 2025-09-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c06103
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.81