On a hot summer day, white clothing feels cooler than other colors due to reflecting—not absorbing—sunlight. Other colors like blue or black, will undergo a heating effect as they absorb light. To circumvent this heating effect in colored cooling films, researchers drew inspiration from nanostructures in butterfly wings.
Had the pleasure of doing a work experience in a university research lab on photonic structures made of crystal cellulose and can confirm they’re very very kool! The ideas have been around for a long while but now they’re really kicking into gear with pigment replacement that’s biodegradable