i2Cool has integrated materials sciences, optics, and heat transfer principles to develop multi-component and multi-scale nanoparticle materials. This results in efficient solar reflectivity and mid-infrared emissivity, reducing heat absorption and promoting solar irradiance, achieving cooling without electricity and refrigerants.
The core R&D team is led by Ir Prof. Edwin Chi-Yan TSO, who is among the top 2% of leading scientists globally. Ir Prof. TSO serves as the Associate Dean (Internationalisation and Outreach) and Associate Professor at the School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong. The team consists of young scientists from diverse fields, bringing a wealth of expertise.
City University of Hong Kong is a renowned center of innovation and research. In 2022, the university ranked first in Hong Kong among the top 100 global universities with the most US patents granted. It has also consistently ranked first in Hong Kong for faculty paper citation rates according to the QS World University Rankings from 2017 to 2022. Furthermore, City University of Hong Kong is ranked 15th in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2024.
After 7 years of dedicated research, the R&D team has successfully cutting-edge research prototypes into large-scale commercial products. They have achieved low-cost and highly optimized optical and thermal performance through a combination of polymers and inorganic particles. This breakthrough has resulted in an impressive 95% solar reflectivity and mid-infrared emissivity.
More than 80 journal papers published, covering a wide range of topics, including physics, the environment, materials science, and other fields.
The innovative thermochromic smart window, inspired by the design of medical masks, features excellent breathability, superior weather resistance, and low haze. It can dynamically adjust indoor radiant heat absorption to match the building's light and heat requirements, intelligently optimizing thermal load.
The electricity-free cooling pavement material surpasses traditional pavement materials with its reduced solar absorptivity and increased mid-infrared emissivity. Incorporating high-energy bandgap inorganic nanoparticles greatly enhances sunlight reflection, effectively lowering road surface temperatures and mitigating the urban heat island effect.
Utilizing biodegradable materials and thermochromic nanoparticles, the textile can autonomously regulate solar reflection and mid-infrared emission based on ambient temperature. This enables the textile to provide warmth in winter and coolness in summer, autonomously ensuring personal thermal comfort across seasons.
