The article Alternative to air conditioning: Meta film from bioplastics cools buildings-without electricity, first appeared at the online magazine Basic Thinking. You can start the day well every morning via our newsletter update.
Scientists have developed a biodegradable meta foil that could reduce global energy consumption. It is supposed to cool buildings without consuming electricity.
With every new heat record, not only people’s well -being sinks. The pressure on cities and private households also increases to ensure cooling in buildings.
Climate systems are a popular solution. However, their high energy consumption drives up both the electricity costs and the emission of greenhouse gases. Researcher of the University of South Australia (Unisa) Therefore, together with colleagues at the Chinese University of Zhengzhou, have developed a sustainable alternative.
Meta foil made of bioplastics cools buildings without electricity
Your development is a fully biodegradable meta film from bioplasty. It is porous, shines metallic – and is supposed to cool buildings passively and without electricity.
The material consists of polympical acid (PLA)-a bioplasty that is obtained from vegetable raw materials such as corn or sugar cane and produced with a low temperature separation process.
The meta film has two crucial properties: it reflects 98.7 percent of the sunlight and minimizes the gain in the heat. Even in direct sunlight, buildings remained cool, explains Yangzhe Hou, doctoral student at the Unisa.
The material reflects almost the entire sunlight and theoretically allows the heat from the building stone to be released directly into space.
Even in the long term as refreshing as an air conditioning system?
The researchers emphasize that the film still works even after a long effect of acids and ultraviolet light – two essential obstacles that have so far hindered similar biodegradable materials.
“Most existing passive radiation cooling systems are based on polymers or ceramics on a petrochemical basis that are ecologically questionable,” said Mit author Xianhu Liu from the University of Zhengzhou.
By using biodegradable PLA, we present a green alternative that offers high sun reflection, strong heat emission, sustainability and durability.
In the practical test, the meta film showed an average temperature drop of 4.9 degrees Celsius a day and 5.1 degrees Celsius at night. Field tests, which were carried out both in China and in Australia, also confirmed its stability and efficiency under rough environmental conditions.
Even after 120 hours in strong acid and the equivalent of eight-month UV radiation outdoors, the material kept a cooling capacity of up to 6.5 degrees Celsius.
Alternative to air conditioning? Metail film lowers energy requirements by 20 percent
The bioplastic metaz film can be applied to buildings, devices and other surfaces. He cools the temperatures passively by up to 9.2 degrees Celsius with maximum sunlight, according to the researchers. At the same time, the material reflects almost 99 percent of the sun’s rays.
The impact that could have on energy consumption is enormous. Various simulations showed that the use of the bioplastic film about the annual cooling energy requirement in hot cities such as Sydney or Lhasa Up to 20 percent can lower.
“This is not just a success in the laboratory scale,” says co -author Professor Jun Ma from the University of South Australia. Extrapolated to millions of buildings worldwide, not only the electricity consumption could be drastically reduced, but also the load on the power grids and the emissions of greenhouse gases.
“Our film is scalable and completely degradable,” says Jun Ma. This could make the bioplastic meta foil a mass -friendly, sustainable alternative to classic air conditioning.
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The article Alternative to air conditioning: Meta film from bioplastics cools buildings – without electricity, first appeared on Basic Thinking. Follow us too Google News and Flipboard Or subscribe to our update newsletter.
As a tech industry expert, I am excited about the potential of bioplastics meta film as an alternative to traditional air conditioning systems. Not only does this innovative technology offer a sustainable solution to cooling buildings, but it also eliminates the need for electricity, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option.
The use of bioplastics in this meta film not only provides a lightweight and flexible material for easy installation, but it also has the ability to effectively cool indoor spaces by reflecting sunlight and reducing heat absorption. This can significantly reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with traditional air conditioning units, making it a promising solution for combating climate change.
I believe that the development and adoption of technologies like bioplastics meta film are crucial in the transition to a more sustainable and energy-efficient future. By investing in innovative solutions that prioritize environmental impact, we can make significant strides towards creating a more resilient and eco-friendly built environment. I look forward to seeing how this technology continues to evolve and make a positive impact in the tech industry and beyond.
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