Excellent durability and multifunctional textiles with dual-mode evaporative and radiative cooling enabled by in-situ growth of SiO2 and electrostatic network coating

The development of multifunctional textiles for personal thermal management is critical to address growing concerns about global warming and heat stress. Textiles integrating unidirectional water transport and radiative cooling capabilities through simple, low-cost fabrication represent a promising approach for personal moisture and heat regulation. In this work, a dual-mechanism cooling textile (RC@Cotton) featuring an electrostatic network coating is developed, combining radiative and evaporative cooling functionalities. RC@Cotton exhibited enhanced evaporative cooling efficiency and directional moisture transport via the in-situ growth of SiO 2 particles, coupled with a Janus structure created using an asymmetric spraying strategy. This textile exhibited moderate solar reflectance (77.65 %) and high mid-infrared emissivity (97 %). This mitigated the light pollution issues associated with conventional, highly reflective radiative cooling materials while maintaining effective cooling. Janus RC@Cotton achieved a cooling effect of up to 8 °C under direct sunlight and could even cool below ambient temperature (5 °C) under perspiration conditions. Incorporating PEI/PA greatly improved the durability of the coating and gave Janus RC@Cotton outstanding antibacterial properties (99.9 %). Theoretical calculations and EnergyPlus simulations confirmed the substantial energy-saving potential of this technology for personal and building applications. This study presents a new approach to designing multifunctional cooling textiles that promote sustainable thermal comfort and energy efficiency.