Electrospinning Machine | Broad-Spectrum Bionic Polydisperse Radiative Cooling Fiber Membrane Integrating High Phase Change and Evaporation Efficiency

Challenge: Due to their easy processing and tunable structural configuration, electrospun membranes are widely used in personal and architectural applications for thermal management radiative cooling membranes. However, intrinsic limitations such as narrow fiber size distribution, inherent hydrophobicity, and insufficient multifunctionality lead to challenges, including insufficient solar spectrum coverage, low reflectivity, limited moisture transmission capacity, and lack of dynamic regulation. 

Method: Wu Lixin and Weng Zixiang from the Fujian Institute of Material Structure, Chinese Academy of Sciences, fabricated a branched electrospun membrane with a wide fiber size distribution via a jet splitting method, providing broader solar spectrum coverage. Inspired by the transpiration of vascular bundle plants, a biomimetic gradient wettability and porous structure were designed, significantly improving moisture evaporation efficiency. 

Innovation 1: By combining electrospinning-spraying technology, the loading capacity of phase change microcapsules (PCMs) up to 70 wt.% was successfully integrated into the fibers, with a phase change enthalpy (ΔHm) of 111.8 J g−1. 

Innovation 2: The optimized membrane has 94.0% solar reflectivity with a thickness of only 0.2 mm, while providing 93.6 W m−2 of radiative cooling power and 392.5 W m−2 of evaporative cooling power, reducing skin temperature by 5.7 ~ 17.4°C.

Innovation 3: This material integrates broad-spectrum coverage, high reflectivity, high-efficiency evaporation, and low-thickness phase change enthalpy, showing great potential for personal thermal management and building energy efficiency applications.

 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202510443