Power-Free Radiative Cooling Mechanism

Innofocus designed and manufactured in Australia a novel nanostructured thin film that can cool down any objects without using electricity. It is based on innovative nanostructures precisely manufactured by our intelligent nanoprinting system, which can manipulate solar spectrum at will for the first time. This technology can revolutionise sectors, which need to maintain products at low temperature.

Radiative cooling cools an object on the earth by emitting thermal infrared radiation to the cold universe through the atmospheric window (8–13 µm). It consumes no electricity and has great potential to be explored for cooling buildings, vehicles, solar cells, and even thermal power plants. Radiative cooling has been explored in the past few decades but is limited to night-time use only.

Very recently, owing to the progress in nanophotonics and metamaterials, daytime radiative cooling to achieve subambient temperatures under direct sunlight has been achieved. As the energy situation and environmental issues become more and more severe in the 21st century, radiative cooling can be explored for energy saving in buildings and vehicles, mitigating the urban heat island effect, resolving water and environmental issues, achieving more efficient power generation, and even fighting against the global warming problem.

Our patented power-free film employs radiative cooling technology which enables it to cool any covered objects by emitting the thermal radiation into the universe. The film can block sunlight from heating it up and simultaneously emit the heat to the cold universe thus cooling the objects attached to it by 5-10°C without using any electricity.

Such a film can be made in a large scale. It can be either flexible or rigid. It can attach to any outdoor surfaces requiring cooling. It performs better at high temperature. It operates 7/24 and provides continuous cooling without energy consumption.

Disruptive Solutions that Revolutionises Industries

The high performance cooling film developed by Innofocus can cool down any covered objects without consuming electricity. The patented film with nanostructure on its surface can allow objects to radiate heat completely into outer space (emissivity close to 100%) while completely avoid solar heat absorption in the visible and infrared, achieve the highest efficiency of radiative cooling.

The cooling process by the film consumes absolutely zero power and has the capability to revolutionise industries like food and agriculture, transportations, energy storage, data centres, etc. Applications of the film will result in billions of dollars in savings while significantly reducing carbon footprints. The product is proven effective, with its unique performance that can revolutionise industries like food and agriculture, transportations, energy storage, data centres, etc.

Currently, Innofocus has partnered with several businesses in Australia and U.S. and deployed industrial applications, e.g. applying the film to seafood packaging to provide superior freshness; to outdoor energy storage systems to avoid overheating and extend battery life; to solar panels to enhance photovoltaic conversion efficiency, and to pill boxes to facilitate the distribution of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals in tropical regions like Africa.