Cooled by 18.2 Degrees Without Electricity or Coolant... Film Developed to Cool Electronic Devices [Reading Science]

DGIST Develops Passive Cooling Material That Absorbs and Releases Airborne Moisture

Sustains Cooling for Over 12 Hours, Showing Promise for AI Data Centers and EV Batteries

A film material that cools the heat generated by electronic devices using only moisture from the air, without the need for electricity or a liquid coolant, has been developed. The film absorbs moisture from the air and, when heat builds up in an electronic device, evaporates the absorbed water to dissipate the heat. In experiments, the film reduced the surface temperature of devices by up to 18.2 degrees Celsius.

Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) announced on October 6 that the research team led by Professor Sungkyun Kim in the Department of Chemistry and Physics has developed a passive cooling film material capable of lowering the heat of electronic devices without using external energy.

Film developed by the research team led by Professor Sungkyun Kim of the Department of Chemistry and Physics at DGIST. Provided by the research team

As artificial intelligence (AI) data centers continue to expand, the electricity and coolant required to dissipate heat generated by servers are also increasing. Efficient thermal management is also critical in space-constrained devices such as mobile gadgets or electric vehicle batteries. Existing active cooling methods, which use fans or pumps, require power and refrigerants and have the drawback of complex device structures.

The research team focused on an evaporative cooling method that utilizes moisture in the air without any supplemental energy supply. Most conventional hygroscopic materials are hard crystalline solids, which makes it difficult for them to adhere closely to electronic device surfaces and increases the risk of corrosion.

Operating principle of moisture adsorption-based evaporative cooling material. Provided by the research team.

Stores moisture from air, evaporates when heated

The team combined nanocellulose, known for its high moisture storage capacity, with hygroscopic organic ionic molecules to create a film-type material that features both flexibility and adhesiveness.

The developed film maintains its adhesiveness and flexibility even when completely dry, allowing it to cling to a variety of surfaces, including metals, semiconductors, and glass. During normal conditions, it absorbs and stores moisture from the air. When the electronic device operates and emits heat, the stored moisture is evaporated, absorbing thermal energy in the process and lowering the surface temperature of the device.

Another feature is that even after absorbing moisture, the film does not corrode metals or other surfaces. Therefore, it can be attached directly to the surface of electronic devices without the need for extra coating treatment.

Professor Sungkyun Kim's research team from the Department of Chemical Physics at DGIST (second from the left). Provided by DGIST

When the research team tested the film’s performance while operating electronic devices continuously, the cooling effect was sustained for more than 12 hours. The device surface temperature dropped from a maximum of 72.3 degrees Celsius to 54.1 degrees Celsius, a reduction of 18.2 degrees.

Professor Kim stated, "It is significant that this study presents a way to simultaneously overcome issues such as corrosion, lack of flexibility, and insufficient adhesiveness found in existing passive cooling materials."

This research was led by Hyundo Kim, a doctoral student in DGIST's Department of Chemistry and Physics, and the results were published in the September issue of the international academic journal Small Structures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.