New aerogel hits 104% solar reflectivity, boosts super radiative cooling

https://interestingengineering.com/ ^ | Jul 04, 2024 | Shubhangi Dua

[Jonty30]

Scientists have been striving to tackle the accelerating climate crisis by developing novel ways to develop sustainable cooling materials.

Recently, a team of researchers from Sichuan University in China has devised an aerogel composed of gelatin and DNA that surpassed 100 percent solar reflectance.

Additionally, an official statement by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) noted that the aerogel is biodegradable and provides exceptional radiative cooling.

Aerogel crossed over 100% solar reflectivity Jian-Wen Ma, the first author of the study researching and developing the aerogel material told Interesting Engineering that the material has a reflectivity of 104 percent in the visible region which is brought by the photoluminescence effect.

“The reflectivity is obtained by testing with a post-spectroscopic UV/VIS/NIR device,” he told IE.

“The luminescence of the aerogel originates from the tightly cross-linked network formed by gelatin and DNA, which allows the chromophores to come together and inhibit the non-radiative leaps of the system.”

In simple terms, the cooling material possesses the ability to reflect a lot of sunlight due to its special layered design and its unique way of glowing when exposed to light.

Not only is the material biodegradable but is also reparable, and recyclable, presenting an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cooling materials.

[redangus]

And what about all the solar panels that are supposed to replace our coal and gas fired power plants? If 104% of solar energy is reflected what powers the panels.

[Bob434]

splendid! MORE flash flooding all over the world!

[Openurmind]

“Maybe it’s engineered to reflect nearly 100% of direct light, but absorbs the cool to combine to 104%?”

You are the closest yet... It is complicated but aside from reflecting certain frequencies it also kind of absorbs cold down from space in a way. It works like a heat sink connection radiating directly into space rather than just a reflector.

“The new materials reflect a broad spectrum of light, in much the same way as mirrors or white paint do. In the crucial 8–13-µm part of the infrared spectrum, however, they strongly absorb and then emit radiation. When the materials point at the sky, the infrared rays can pass straight through the atmosphere and into space. That effectively links the materials to an inexhaustible heat sink, into which they can keep dumping heat without it coming back. As a result, they can radiate away enough heat to consistently stay a few degrees cooler than surrounding air; research suggests that temperature differences could exceed 10 °C in hot, dry places.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-supercool-materials-that-send-heat-to-space1/

[John S Mosby]

Gelatin is a protein. DNA is a protein. Sunlight breaks down proteins-— cooks them in fact. Reflectivity would absorb solar radiation, and, also the “material” would fall apart. Like every chemical agent Chi-Coms have “come up” with.

Remember Melamine— FReepers? Melamine was mixed with animal feed so that spectrographic analysis would yield HIGH protein content (ie, high amino acid content) to be able to charge premium prices for US and world consumers. It was-— plastic and killed a lot of livestock and yes, pets as well.

This is FAKE crap. Gelatin and DNA— sure thing.

[John S Mosby]

What— Flubber was fake??? That was real science by Fred MacMurry.

[Jonty30]

So, it’s like an ablative sun shield. Sure, it will work until there is nothing left to break down.

That sounds expensive over the long haul, even if this works as advertised.

[catnipman]

” the material has a reflectivity of 104 percent in the visible region which is brought by the photoluminescence effect.”

sounds dangerous to me ... too much of this stuff going full blast could spin out of control and catch the planet on fire ...

[minnesota_bound]

Words like accelerating climate crisis & sustainable means BS

[oldtech]

This does present a fair question about what the shingles would accomplish in the wintertime. I almost found out the last time the roof was shingled, but the wife overrode my vote.