Fluoropolymer Composites for Radiative Passive Cooling: Toward Energy-Efficient Urban Environments

Climate change, population growth, and the heavy reliance on conventional air conditioning systems have highlighted the urgent need for environmentally friendly and zero-energy cooling technologies. Radiative passive cooling presents a novel approach to sustainable thermal management, enabling surfaces to emit thermal radiation into space without requiring external energy input. This study presents unique polymeric composites made from polyvinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene as the polymer matrix, incorporating high-reflective fillers, including barium sulfate and anatase titanium dioxide. The optical performance of these composites showed an average solar reflectivity of approximately 83% across the entire solar spectrum, reaching up to 93% in the visible light region. These findings strongly indicate that these composites have significant potential to reduce heat absorption when exposed to direct sunlight. Consequently, they have the potential to serve as effective, scalable passive-cooling paints in architectural designs and energy-efficient building applications.