Combining radiative cooling and emissive energy harvesting: generating power at night

Radiative cooling is the concept wherein an object on the earth cools by selectively emitting thermal infrared radiation to the cold universe through the atmospheric window (8–13 μm). This requires no power input, and thus has great potential in cooling buildings, vehicles, etc. Through nanophotonic structural engineering, daytime radiative cooling can achieve temperatures more than 10C below the ambient even in direct sunlight.

This project will revolve around two new develops in radiative cooling. The first will be to develop active control over the otherwise purely passive radiative cooling process through the use of optical phase change materials. The second will be to combine radiative cooling and thermoelectrics to demonstrate emissive energy harvesting. Emissive energy harvesting generates power at night by taking advantage of the earth’s radiative emission into the coldness of space.

How to Apply

Express your interest in this project by emailing Dr Michael Nielsen at michael.nielsen@unsw.edu.au. Include a copy of your CV and your academic transcript(s).