Rainbow Film Makes A Hue-nique Substitute For AC In Cars And Buildings

When you’re caught in the height of summer, the sun bogging down on you, your best friend and savior might just be the air-conditioning unit in your home. However, soaring temperatures are an indicator of the worsening climate change Earth is currently enduring.
 
So how can we keep ourselves and our planet cool? Apparently, with just a simple sheet of rainbow-colored film. 
 
The shiny iridescent film, devised by Silvia Vignolini PhD and Qingchen Shen PhD from Cambridge University, is primarily made out of plants (another brownie point for sustainability) and becomes cooler the more exposed it is to sunlight. The material is composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) fortified with a plasma treatment to enhance its adhesion to surfaces. 

It does this via a concept known as passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC). This is where surfaces can emit their heat into space without being absorbed by the surrounding air. As a result, the material reduces its temperature by several degrees without needing electrical power.
 
Moreover, the team posits that the film can double up as a sensor to detect environmental contaminants, such as an influx of smog molecules in the air. Which then could be used to alert authorities.
 
Besides being good for the environment, its reflective shades are also pretty pleasing to the eyes. Using such CNC-ethyl cellulose concoction allowed the researchers to develop glittery and colorful films to add a little pizzazz to building façades and cars. 
 
 
 
 [via Tech Times and American Chemical Society, image via Qingshen Chen/American Chemical Society via EurekAlert]