Can quantum dots help to mitigate urban overheating? An experimental and modelling study. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Garshasbi, Samira; Huang, Shujuan; Valenta, Jan; Santamouris, Mat
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 206(2020)
• Page Start: 308
• Page End: 316
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: Urban overheating mitigation -- Fluorescent materials -- Quantum dots (QDs) -- Tunable fluorescent properties -- Fluorescent cooling potential; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2020.06.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Cooling potential of quantum dots in urban overheating mitigation. Highlights: Investigation on fluorescent cooling potential of quantum dots. Demonstration of cooling mechanism of fluorescent materials. A theoretical model for precise calculation and optimization of fluorescent cooling potential. Abstract: Application of fluorescent materials has proven to be an effective method for urban overheating mitigation due to their unique ability to re-emit a portion of the absorbed solar irradiation through photoluminescence (PL) effect. Herein, we introduced the idea of using quantum dots (QDs) as tunable fluorescent materials with potentially higher cooling capacity than their bulk counterparts and proposed a novel algorithm to model their thermo-optic behaviour under the sunlight. Our proposed method represents a major step forward in the understanding of the heat-rejection mechanism through PL effect and optimization of QDs fluorescent properties for urban overheating mitigation. Since it's complicated to distinguish surface temperature reduction caused by reflection from that of PL effect, our developed algorithm could be used as a reliable tool for precise estimation of the PL effect contribution to heat dissipation.