Cooler bodies and buildings
Researchers at Stanford University have managed to create a fibre out of a material that can cool itself while remaining opaque to the human eye. It is nanoporous polyethylene (nanoPE), which has already been widely used, for example, in lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries as a separator of electrodes. The miniature pores help release both heat and moisture from the body.
The research will continue and mainly focus on how to streamline and reduce the cost of nanoPE production. It should be finished within a few years. The new fibre may help not only people but also buildings to stay cooler. It will not replace air conditioning completely but it can contribute to significant energy savings.
The existing research was published in Science magazine in an article entitled Radiative human body cooling by nanoporous polyethylene textile. You can also watch a short video.
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