KIT film research combines diffuse daylight with radiative cooling

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology researchers reported a textured silicone film designed to spread daylight and emit heat in a study published May 7, 2024. KIT described the work three days later. The material uses microscopic pyramids on its surface and can be supported on glass.

The researchers reported 95% visible-light transmission alongside substantial light diffusion. That combination is important: high transmission does not mean a clear view. The material deliberately blurs objects behind it, making roof glazing and other daylighting applications a different proposition from windows where an unobstructed view is essential.

Outdoor measurements included a 42.2-square-centimeter sample in an insulated test chamber. The reported cooling below ambient temperature concerns the tested material and apparatus; it is not a measured six-degree reduction throughout an occupied building. Separate miniature enclosures compared the material with a glass roof.

The work gives designers another approach to balancing daylight and heat, but it does not establish a commercially available retrofit roll. Installation compatibility, cleaning practices and long-term service requirements would need product-specific evidence. TintNews has not independently tested the material, and the 2024 study should not be presented as a new 2026 launch.