Associate Professor Duong Hai-Minh from the Department of Mechanical Engineering under the NUS College of Design and Engineering led the development of aerogels.
When tested, 0.5 centimetres of the material produced a cooling effect of 2°C, achieved by emitting infrared heat into the surroundings while exhibiting good heat insulation, preventing heat absorption from the surrounding environment, NUS explained. The team previously used PET fibres to produce aerogels, but the latest method is more energy-efficient, consuming about 97% less energy and reducing production time by 96%.
Across the entire X-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, used primarily for radar systems, weather monitoring and air traffic control, the aerogel consistently showed its ability to absorb 90 per cent of EMW energy, NUS said.