Assessing Radiative Cooling Textiles for Extreme Thermal Conditions

Global warming necessitates energy-efficient thermal management solutions, and radiative cooling has emerged as a promising strategy for buildings and wearable applications. Despite significant advancements, the efficacy of these materials under extreme heat conditions remains underexplored. Here, we present passive radiative daytime cooling (PDRC) -coated high-performance textiles based on glass fiber (GF), carbon fiber (CF), and Kevlar (KV), integrating superior optical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Our experiments demonstrate that these textiles achieve high solar reflectivity (93--97%) and infrared emissivity (95--96%), enabling an average of 8.3 °C of cooling under sunlight compared to cotton. Additionally, these coated textiles offer exceptional durability, maintaining performance under various environmental stressors with minimal degradation. Analytical modeling, combined with experimental testing, further underscores the critical role of high near infrared reflectance in high-temperature environments like fire, providing important insights for extending their applicability to personal protective equipment, emergency wearables, and structural thermal management in extreme conditions.