Scalable metasurface-enhanced supercool cement.

Journal: Science advances
Published Date: Aug 20, 2025

Abstract

Structural materials with the capability for passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) show promise for the sustainable cooling of buildings. However, developing durable PDRC structural materials with optical robustness, ease of deployment, and scalability remain a challenge for civil engineering applications. We synthesized a metasurface-enhanced cooling cement using a universal, scalable pressure-driven fabrication strategy during a low-carbon production process. The self-assembly of multiple-sized reflective ettringites as main hydration products toward the metasurface, coupled with hierarchical pores, guaranteed high solar reflectance (96.2%), whereas raw materials containing alumina- and sulfur-rich function groups leveraged inherent mid-infrared emissivity (96.0%). This photonic-architectured cement achieved a temperature drop of 5.4°C during midday conditions with a solar intensity of 850 watts per square meter. This supercool cement featured intrinsic high strength, armored abrasive resistance, and optical stability, even when exposed to harsh conditions, such as corrosive liquids, ultraviolet radiation, and freeze-thaw cycles. A machine learning-guided life-cycle assessment indicated its potential to achieve a net-negative carbon emission profile.

Authors

  • Guo Lu
    State Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials for Major Infrastructure, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
  • Fengyin Du
    State Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials for Major Infrastructure, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
  • Zhen Wang
    Department of Otolaryngology, Longgang Otolaryngology hospital & Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Otolaryngology, Shenzhen Institute of Otolaryngology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
  • Feilong Wu
    Jiangxi Yinshan White Cement Co. Ltd., #119 Zhenxing Avenue, Ji'an, Jiangxi, China.
  • Wenqiang Zuo
    State Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials for Major Infrastructure, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
  • Xiaohang Xu
    School of Electronic Information, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
  • Zhangyu Wu
    State Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials for Major Infrastructure, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
  • Chang Liu
    Key Lab of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
  • Ruizhe Yang
    State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, West Da-zhi Street 92, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001, People's Republic of China. rykhit@hit.edu.cn.
  • Yanpei Tian
    School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA.
  • Zhangli Hu
    Guangdong Key Laboratory of Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
  • Dongliang Zhao
    School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.
  • Chenyue Guo
    School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.
  • Tian Li
    College of Plant Protection, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
  • Wei She
    Cooper Innovation Center of Internet Healthcare, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China.
  • Changwen Miao
    State Key Laboratory of Engineering Materials for Major Infrastructure, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China.

Keywords

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