Thermochromic Radiative Cooling Coatings with Robust Superhydrophobicity for Energy‐Efficient Buildings

The rising global demand for energy‐efficient cooling highlights radiative cooling materials as a promising alternative to energy‐intensive air conditioning. However, most existing systems suffer from fixed optical properties, limited adaptability, and poor durability. This work presents a multifunctional, color‐adaptive radiative cooling coating that incorporates thermochromic microcapsules, hexagonal boron nitride, and hollow glass microspheres into a polydimethylsiloxane matrix via a scalable blending process. The coating exhibits a reversible thermochromic transition at ~45 °C, enabling dynamic spectral regulation that enhances solar reflection at elevated temperatures while suppressing overcooling at lower ones. Combined with broadband optical performance (solar reflectance of 91.7% and mid‐infrared emissivity of 94.3%), the coating achieves an average sub‐ambient cooling of 4.44 °C under outdoor conditions and a 6.7 °C reduction compared to commercial coatings in indoor simulation experiments. Beyond cooling efficiency, the micro/nano hierarchical surface imparts robust superhydrophobicity (contact angle >150°), self‐cleaning capability, and long‐term stability in corrosive, humid, and UV‐rich environments. By synergistically integrating adaptive optical regulation, high‐radiative cooling power, and durable surface protection, this work establishes a scalable strategy for next‐generation smart coatings, paving practical pathways toward energy‐saving buildings and sustainable thermal management technologies.

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Publication Details

Journal
Energy & environment materials
Published
2026-01-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/eem2.70278
Primary Topic
Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Thermochromic Radiative Cooling Coatings with Robust Superhydrophobicity for Energy‐Efficient Buildings

Xing Ouyang, Dazhu Chen, Akbar Bashir, Ziqi Li et al.
Energy & environment materials
Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
article

Thermochromic Radiative Cooling Coatings with Robust Superhydrophobicity for Energy‐Efficient Buildings

Xing Ouyang, Dazhu Chen, Akbar Bashir, Ziqi Li, Jie Cui, Chen Liu, Gary Chi‐Pong Tsui, Yan Chen, Chak‐Yin Tang
article en

Abstract

The rising global demand for energy‐efficient cooling highlights radiative cooling materials as a promising alternative to energy‐intensive air conditioning. However, most existing systems suffer from fixed optical properties, limited adaptability, and poor durability. This work presents a multifunctional, color‐adaptive radiative cooling coating that incorporates thermochromic microcapsules, hexagonal boron nitride, and hollow glass microspheres into a polydimethylsiloxane matrix via a scalable blending process. The coating exhibits a reversible thermochromic transition at ~45 °C, enabling dynamic spectral regulation that enhances solar reflection at elevated temperatures while suppressing overcooling at lower ones. Combined with broadband optical performance (solar reflectance of 91.7% and mid‐infrared emissivity of 94.3%), the coating achieves an average sub‐ambient cooling of 4.44 °C under outdoor conditions and a 6.7 °C reduction compared to commercial coatings in indoor simulation experiments. Beyond cooling efficiency, the micro/nano hierarchical surface imparts robust superhydrophobicity (contact angle >150°), self‐cleaning capability, and long‐term stability in corrosive, humid, and UV‐rich environments. By synergistically integrating adaptive optical regulation, high‐radiative cooling power, and durable surface protection, this work establishes a scalable strategy for next‐generation smart coatings, paving practical pathways toward energy‐saving buildings and sustainable thermal management technologies.

Energy & environment materials
Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK), Shenzhen University (CN), Shenzhen Technology University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Openalex Percentile: Top 74%
Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
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