An international team of researchers has developed a natural fabric that urban residents could use to combat the rising temperatures in cities around the world, caused by buildings, asphalt, and concrete.
In a new article published in Science Bulletin, researchers from the University of South Australia and Zhengzhou University explain the process. As heat waves become more prominent, cooling textiles that can be incorporated into clothing, hats, shoes, and even building surfaces offer a glimpse of a future in which air conditioning units, which emit greenhouse gases, may no longer be required in our cities.
The engineers from Zhengzhou University and the University of South Australia state that the wearable fabric was designed to reflect sunlight and allow heat to escape, while blocking solar radiation and lowering the temperature. The textiles were described in the latest edition of Science Bulletin.
The fabric promises to bring relief to millions of city dwellers who are experiencing hotter and more uncomfortable temperatures caused by global climate change and the reduction of green spaces.
Yangzhe Hou, visiting researcher at UniSA, states that the fabric uses the principle of radiative cooling, a natural process in which materials emit heat to the atmosphere and eventually to space.
“Unlike conventional fabrics that trap heat, this textile is composed of three layers designed to optimize cooling,” Hou says.
The top layer, made of polymethylpentene fibers, allows heat to be radiated away effectively. The middle layer, composed of silver nanowires, increases the fabric’s reflectivity, preventing additional heat from reaching the body. The bottom layer, made of wool, draws heat away from the skin, ensuring that users stay cool, even in the hottest urban environments.
“In our experiments, when placed vertically, the fabric proved 2.3°C cooler than traditional textiles and up to 6.2°C cooler than the surrounding environment when used as a horizontal surface coating,” he explains.
“The fabric’s ability to passively reduce temperatures offers a sustainable alternative to conventional air conditioning, delivering energy savings and reducing pressure on power grids during heat waves,” he adds.
The Zhengzhou University researchers, Jingna Zhang and Professor Xianhu Liu, say the technology not only addresses the immediate problem of urban heat islands but also contributes to broader climate mitigation efforts and to a more sustainable urban life.
It is anticipated that the technology could be adapted to even wider applications, including building materials, outdoor furniture, and urban planning.
Although the fabric is highly promising, the researchers say the current production process is expensive and the long-term durability of the textiles requires further investigation and government support before it can be commercialized.
“Whether consumers are willing to pay more for wearable fabrics depends on the cooling effect, durability, comfort, and their environmental awareness,” conclude the researchers.
