Colored radiative cooling: progress and prospects

With the notable development of radiative cooling research and the continuous improvement of cooling effect, its practicability and application range have been widely concerned. However, conventional radiative coolers typically come in white, which can be undesirable because of aesthetic reasons and the potential of light pollution. Fortunately, a colored radiative cooler (CRC) has been developed and demonstrated as a solution that offers both vivid colors and impressive radiative cooling performance. In this perspective paper, the state-of-the-art colored radiative cooling technologies are reviewed. Starting with the brief introduction of the fundamental principles of radiative cooling and color appearance, the mutually restrictive relationship between the color appearance and radiative cooling effect will be discussed, followed by the balanced design strategies. Then, the emerging materials and structures of different coolers will be discussed from the point of view of photonic crystal-based, nanoparticle-based, and fiber-based CRCs. Finally, conclusions and prospects are outlined to further promote the development of CRCs.