Exotic Beetles Inspire Researchers In Discovering New Cooling Materials

Researchers from the Cockrell Institute of Technology, University of Texas, in collaboration with their counterparts from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, have jointly discovered beetle species known as Neocerambyx Gigas or longhorn beetles, famed for being able to cool their body under a very hot temperature.

The discovery, a major technological breakthrough as it a new turnaround in the quest to developing potential cooling materials in buildings and having electronics placed in a healthy and environmental friendly way.

These species of beetle, which is known to regulate its body temperature even when placed in the hottest place on earth, is said to have the ability to survive in the volcanic regions of Southeast Asia. In lieu of the realization of this, the team of researchers created a photonic film based mainly on the structure of the beetle’s wings, using popular and flexible materials that are mechanically strong and can be manufactured on a very large scale.

It is then cooled passively, which implies that it does not consume energy like the other known systems used in cooling of cars, electronics and buildings.

Yuebing Zheng , An associate professor of mechanical engineering at Walker had this to say about the discovery:

“Refrigerators, air conditioners, and other methods consume large amounts of energy, which are cooled by themselves.”

The team also noted that the film’s temperature lowered when exposed directly to sunlight, decreasing more than 5.1 degrees Celsius and 9 degrees Fahrenheit.

The advantages derived when the film is coated on an object include:

1. When wrapped round your parked car it keeps it cool

2. If placed on the windows of offices and apartments to reflect sunlight and reduce electricity bills.

3. It protects the solar panel from deterioration due to constant exposure to sunlight.

The aforementioned has a high potential of regulating hot temperature, which makes it a new cooling addition to fabrics, wearables, and personal electronics.

The triangular “fluff” of the wings of the beetle played an important role as it dissipates heat inside the body of the beetleand reflects rays of sunlight. These nettles have been in existence for a long time but what remains a mystery is itsability to effectively regulate temperature they find themselves.

The longhorn beetle has more than 26,000 species having antennae that are three times the length of its whole body.Amazing it is?

Yes it is.

It has been envisioned that as the demand for more cooling increases, likewise also will the need for new solutions that do not consume large amounts of energy or burden the environment