In China and Australia, researchers have developed a new bioplastic that could make buildings more reflective, reducing the indoor temperature without consuming any energy.
The material is the commonly used bioplastic polylactic acid, but produced using a low-temperature separation technique that renders the material very reflective.
According to IFLScience, when used as a film, the material can reflect 98.7% of sunlight, and in lab measurements lowered indoor temperatures by almost 16.56°F.
“Our metafilm offers an environmentally friendly alternative to air-conditioning, which contributes significantly to carbon emissions,” lead author Yangzhe Hou, from Zhengzhou University in China and the University of South Australia, said in a statement. “The material reflects nearly all solar radiation but also allows internal building heat to escape directly into outer space. This enables the building to stay cooler than the surrounding air, even under direct sunlight.”
Currently, most passive radiative cooling systems rely on petrochemical-based polymers or ceramics that raise environmental concerns.
The team’s findings were published in a recent issue of the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.