Researchers Create Roof-Applied Film That Can Cool Spaces Without Using Electricity, Eliminating the Need for Air Conditioning

Colorado University Researchers Developed A Film Able To Cool A Home Without Using Electricity, Which Can Replace The Use Of An Air Conditioner.

On hot days, there’s nothing better than a good air conditioner to make the environment more pleasant. Whether at home, work, or elsewhere. However, not everyone is able to have such a device. Some due to financial reasons, others more concerned with the environment, considering that air conditioners emit polluting gases and greenhouse gases. Thus, to the delight of many, researchers at the University of Colorado developed a more accessible alternative for all: a film capable of cooling environments without the use of electricity.

Meet The Film That Could Displace The Use Of Air Conditioners

Being a more accessible, sustainable, and efficient alternative compared to traditional air conditioning, the film was developed by two researchers from the University of Colorado, located in the United States. Xiabo Yin and Ronggui Yang developed a film capable of cooling environments without the need for refrigerant gases or electricity.

The film works by filtering the solar rays that are emitted onto the Earth’s atmosphere. The atmosphere allows some infrared wavelengths, which generate heat, to escape into space without any obstacles. What researchers Yang and Yin did was simply convert the unwanted heat into infrared radiation at the exact wavelength that the planet sends back.

Meanwhile, the film developed by the scientists is made from polymethylpentene, which is a transparent plastic found commercially and consists of small glass beads. The film, which is coated with silver on one side, is transformed into sheets that are 50 millionths of a meter thick. When the film is placed on the roof of a building, the silver-coated side faces down. Therefore, sunlight is reflected by the silver side through the plastic, preventing the heating of the environment without the use of electricity or air conditioning.

The Cooling Power Of The Material Produced By Researchers At The University Of Colorado

In addition to the benefit of preventing heat from entering, internal heat is also released into the atmosphere. The cooling power of the device can reach up to 93 watts per square meter. At night, for example, the film’s capacity is even greater, and according to the researchers, only 20 m² of the product is sufficient to maintain the temperature of a typical house at 20ºC on a day when the average is 37ºC on the thermometers.

According to the magazine “The Economist”, the film can be produced using methods already employed by the industry and at a very low cost of just 50 cents per m². 

Company Develops Portable Mini Air Conditioner

As mentioned earlier, not everyone can afford an air conditioner at home, and with the estimate that 2022 will be a hotter year than previous ones, a German company has developed a new product that may be a low-cost solution for sunny days: a portable mini air conditioner.

For the product to work correctly, it only needs a little water, and by pressing a button, it starts functioning in less than a minute, spreading cool air throughout the area.

The mini air conditioner has three speeds: low, medium, and high, and is capable of reducing the temperature by up to 10 degrees. In addition to cooling the air, the device also purifies and humidifies, making breathing easier.