Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties

Jipeng Fei; Xuan Zhang; Di Han; Yue Lei; Fei Xie; Kai Zhou; See-Wee Koh; Junyu Ge; Hao Zhou; Xingli Wang; Xinghui Wu; Jun-Yan Tan; Yuheng Gu; Yongping Long; Zhi Hui Koh; Su Wang; Panwei Du; Tangwei Mi; Bing-Feng Ng; Lili Cai; Chi Feng; Qiaoqiang Gan; Hong Li

doi:10.1126/science.adt3372

Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties

Jipeng Fei, Xuan Zhang, Di Han, Yue Lei, Fei Xie, Kai Zhou, See-Wee Koh, Junyu Ge, Hao Zhou, Xingli Wang, Xinghui Wu, Jun-Yan Tan, Yuheng Gu, Yongping Long, Zhi Hui Koh, Su Wang, Panwei Du, Tangwei Mi, Bing-Feng Ng, Lili CaiChi Feng, Qiaoqiang Gan, Hong Li

Civil Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Integrating radiative and evaporative cooling shows promise for enhancing passive cooling, but durable self-curing integrated cooling paints remain underdeveloped. We designed a modified cementitious structure with advanced thermal-optical and mass transfer properties, boosting cooling power while ensuring durability, mechanical strength, and broad adhesion. The paint achieves 88 to 92% solar reflectance (depending on wetting), 95% atmospheric window emittance, ~30% water retention, and self-replenishing properties, maintaining stable optical performance even when wet. Field tests in tropical Singapore demonstrated superior cooling performance compared with commercial white paints. Pilot-scale demonstrations highlighted consistent electricity savings under varying weather conditions, supported by theoretical modeling. By leveraging sustainable water evaporation and thermal radiation, this paint offers a practical and long-term solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1044-1049
Number of pages	6
Journal	Science
Volume	388
Issue number	6751
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adt3372
Publication status	Published - 5 Jun 2025

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Fei, J., Zhang, X., Han, D., Lei, Y., Xie, F., Zhou, K., Koh, S.-W., Ge, J., Zhou, H., Wang, X., Wu, X., Tan, J.-Y., Gu, Y., Long, Y., Koh, Z. H., Wang, S., Du, P., Mi, T., Ng, B.-F., ... Li, H. (2025). Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties. Science, 388(6751), 1044-1049. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adt3372

@article{b6e2672796064207a813fea8488b2338,

title = "Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties",

abstract = "Integrating radiative and evaporative cooling shows promise for enhancing passive cooling, but durable self-curing integrated cooling paints remain underdeveloped. We designed a modified cementitious structure with advanced thermal-optical and mass transfer properties, boosting cooling power while ensuring durability, mechanical strength, and broad adhesion. The paint achieves 88 to 92% solar reflectance (depending on wetting), 95% atmospheric window emittance, ~30% water retention, and self-replenishing properties, maintaining stable optical performance even when wet. Field tests in tropical Singapore demonstrated superior cooling performance compared with commercial white paints. Pilot-scale demonstrations highlighted consistent electricity savings under varying weather conditions, supported by theoretical modeling. By leveraging sustainable water evaporation and thermal radiation, this paint offers a practical and long-term solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect.",

author = "Jipeng Fei and Xuan Zhang and Di Han and Yue Lei and Fei Xie and Kai Zhou and See-Wee Koh and Junyu Ge and Hao Zhou and Xingli Wang and Xinghui Wu and Jun-Yan Tan and Yuheng Gu and Yongping Long and Koh, {Zhi Hui} and Su Wang and Panwei Du and Tangwei Mi and Bing-Feng Ng and Lili Cai and Chi Feng and Qiaoqiang Gan and Hong Li",

note = "Copyright {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.",

year = "2025",

month = jun,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1126/science.adt3372",

language = "English",

volume = "388",

pages = "1044--1049",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6751",

}

Fei, J, Zhang, X, Han, D, Lei, Y, Xie, F, Zhou, K, Koh, S-W, Ge, J, Zhou, H, Wang, X, Wu, X, Tan, J-Y, Gu, Y, Long, Y, Koh, ZH, Wang, S, Du, P, Mi, T, Ng, B-F, Cai, L, Feng, C, Gan, Q & Li, H 2025, 'Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties', Science, vol. 388, no. 6751, pp. 1044-1049. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adt3372

TY - JOUR

T1 - Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties

AU - Fei, Jipeng

AU - Zhang, Xuan

AU - Han, Di

AU - Lei, Yue

AU - Xie, Fei

AU - Zhou, Kai

AU - Koh, See-Wee

AU - Ge, Junyu

AU - Zhou, Hao

AU - Wang, Xingli

AU - Wu, Xinghui

AU - Tan, Jun-Yan

AU - Gu, Yuheng

AU - Long, Yongping

AU - Koh, Zhi Hui

AU - Wang, Su

AU - Du, Panwei

AU - Mi, Tangwei

AU - Ng, Bing-Feng

AU - Cai, Lili

AU - Feng, Chi

AU - Gan, Qiaoqiang

AU - Li, Hong

PY - 2025/6/5

Y1 - 2025/6/5

N2 - Integrating radiative and evaporative cooling shows promise for enhancing passive cooling, but durable self-curing integrated cooling paints remain underdeveloped. We designed a modified cementitious structure with advanced thermal-optical and mass transfer properties, boosting cooling power while ensuring durability, mechanical strength, and broad adhesion. The paint achieves 88 to 92% solar reflectance (depending on wetting), 95% atmospheric window emittance, ~30% water retention, and self-replenishing properties, maintaining stable optical performance even when wet. Field tests in tropical Singapore demonstrated superior cooling performance compared with commercial white paints. Pilot-scale demonstrations highlighted consistent electricity savings under varying weather conditions, supported by theoretical modeling. By leveraging sustainable water evaporation and thermal radiation, this paint offers a practical and long-term solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect.

AB - Integrating radiative and evaporative cooling shows promise for enhancing passive cooling, but durable self-curing integrated cooling paints remain underdeveloped. We designed a modified cementitious structure with advanced thermal-optical and mass transfer properties, boosting cooling power while ensuring durability, mechanical strength, and broad adhesion. The paint achieves 88 to 92% solar reflectance (depending on wetting), 95% atmospheric window emittance, ~30% water retention, and self-replenishing properties, maintaining stable optical performance even when wet. Field tests in tropical Singapore demonstrated superior cooling performance compared with commercial white paints. Pilot-scale demonstrations highlighted consistent electricity savings under varying weather conditions, supported by theoretical modeling. By leveraging sustainable water evaporation and thermal radiation, this paint offers a practical and long-term solution for mitigating the urban heat island effect.

U2 - 10.1126/science.adt3372

DO - 10.1126/science.adt3372

M3 - Article

C2 - 40472080

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 388

SP - 1044

EP - 1049

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6751

ER -

Passive cooling paint enabled by rational design of thermal-optical and mass transfer properties

Abstract

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