International Journal of Frontiers in Engineering Technology, 2026, 8(1); doi: 10.25236/IJFET.2026.080104.
Xijun Gao1, Wenxuan Gong1, Jiaqi Li1, Dairan Li1, Yutong Li1
1School of Railway Intelligent Engineering, Dalian Jiaotong University, Dalian, China
Facing the challenges of surging global energy consumption and the intensifying urban heat island effect, passive daytime radiative cooling technology has garnered significant attention as a zero-energy cooling method. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has become a research hotspot for low-cost cooling materials due to its excellent intrinsic emissivity in the atmospheric window band; however, its high transmittance in the visible light spectrum limits its daytime cooling efficiency. This paper aims to overcome the performance bottlenecks of PDMS-based radiative cooling materials through a combination of computational optics and intelligent optimization algorithms. First, a high-precision calculation model for the spectral response of thin films was constructed based on the Transfer Matrix Method and cubic spline interpolation, quantitatively revealing the non-linear modulation laws of film thickness on spectral emissivity. Second, a steady-state thermal balance simulation model incorporating solar radiation and the atmospheric thermal environment was established to evaluate the cooling potential of different structural designs. On this basis, a multilayer film structure combining a metal substrate with a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) was proposed, and the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm was utilized to globally optimize the layer thicknesses, achieving efficient reflection of the solar spectrum and enhancement of infrared radiation. Furthermore, based on the Maxwell-Garnett Effective Medium Theory, the optical scattering enhancement mechanism of nanoporous structures was explored. Simulation results indicate that the optimized nanoporous structure, without requiring complex coating processes, can achieve broadband high reflection through strong Mie scattering effects, significantly enhancing net cooling power, and demonstrating distinct advantages in cost and engineering feasibility assessments.
Passive Radiative Cooling, Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Transfer Matrix Method (TMM), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Spectral Selectivity, Nanoporous Structure
Xijun Gao, Wenxuan Gong, Jiaqi Li, Dairan Li, Yutong Li. Spectral Control and Structural Design of PDMS Radiative Cooling Films Based on Transfer Matrix Method and Particle Swarm Optimization. International Journal of Frontiers in Engineering Technology (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 1: 22-30. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFET.2026.080104.
[1] H. Cui et al., “From complex networks to urban heat island governance: Structural analysis and intervention in xiamen island’s heat island network,” Sustainable Cities and Society, vol. 124, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.scs.2025.106320.
[2] P. Ramamurthy, J. C. Pena, S. Liu, and J. Gonzalez-Cruz, “The interaction between urban heat island intensity and sea-breeze effect,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, vol. 383, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1098/rsta.2024.0578.
[3] C. Roske, M. Birk, and G. Wagner, “Water vapor self-continuum measurements in the infrared atmospheric window and ν2 band region (700–2000 cm−1),” Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer, vol. 347, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.jqsrt.2025.109602.
[4] N. Pirouzfam, M. A. Kecebas, and K. Sendur, “Aligning spectral emissivity profiles to the atmospheric transmission window for radiative cooling using layered dielectrics augmented with metamaterial interfaces,” Optics Communications, vol. 587, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.optcom.2025.131935.
[5] S. Kumar, K. Khare, and M. K. Singh, “Controlling adhesion of PDMS elastomer through process parameters,” Tribology International, vol. 209, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.triboint.2025.110724.
[6] Y.-M. Law and D. Appelo, “The Hermite-Taylor Correction Function Method for Maxwell’s Equations,” Communications on Applied Mathematics and Computation, vol. 7, no. Compendex, pp. 347–371, 2025, doi: 10.1007/s42967-023-00287-5.
[7] Shen Y , Zhou B , Chen Z ,et al.Efficiency Optimization Control Method of IPMSM Based on Particle Swarm Optimization[J].IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Industrial Electronics, 2025, 6(3):1074-1081.DOI:10.1109/JESTIE.2025.3561742.
[8] F. Rahman and Lalnunthari, “Optimizing Wireless Mesh Networks for IoT Using Hybrid Genetic-PSO Algorithm,” in 3rd IEEE International Conference on Automation and Computation, AUTOCOM 2025, March 4, 2025 - March 6, 2025, Dehradun, India: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025, pp. 1279–1283. doi: 10.1109/AUTOCOM64127.2025.10956380.
[9] O. S. T. A. Butti, M. Burunkaya, J. Rahebi, and J. M. Lopez-Guede, “Optimal Power Flow Using PSO Algorithms Based on Artificial Neural Networks,” IEEE Access, vol. 12, no. Compendex, pp. 154778–154795, 2024, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3479097.
[10] Mai G , Zhan C , Wang H .Optimization Design of Heliostat Field Based on Particle Swarm Optimization. Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology, 2024, 120:632-639. DOI:10.54097/5wt9fj16.
[11] R. Koalla and A. K. Chaudhary, “Use of effective medium theory for characterization of optical and dielectric properties of explosive composites in terahertz spectral range,” Infrared Physics and Technology, vol. 151, no. Compendex, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.infrared.2025.106129.