Jeddah, March 23, 2025 – A new study conducted in collaboration with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) reveals that nanomaterials can significantly cut carbon emissions from LED streetlights.
A press release highlights that the nanomaterial, known as nanoPE, enhances thermal radiation emission from LED surfaces, effectively lowering their temperature. Since LEDs generate heat that raises their temperature, this can damage their electronics and shorten their lifespan, with around 75% of their input energy eventually lost as heat.
KAUST Professor Qiaoqiang Gan stated, "LEDs are preferred due to their efficiency and longevity, but even small enhancements can improve sustainability, especially when used on a large scale.” He also noted that lighting accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s annual electricity consumption and contributes to nearly 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr. Hussam Qasem, General Manager of the Future Energy Technologies Institute at KACST, explained that the design significantly enhances LED cooling while maintaining high illumination efficiency, presenting a promising solution for sustainable lighting in Saudi Arabia.
Traditional LED streetlights direct light downward, trapping thermal radiation inside the LED. However, when coated with nanoPE, they are flipped upward, directing infrared light toward the sky while reflecting visible light back to the ground. The study found that over 80% of infrared light emitted by nanoPE-coated LEDs escapes into the sky, while more than 95% of visible light is reflected downward, effectively illuminating the area below.
NanoPE is derived from polyethylene, the most widely produced plastic globally. Scientists engineered it by creating 30 nm-sized pores—1,000 times thinner than a human hair—stretching and refining it into a thin sheet to selectively reflect visible light while allowing infrared light to pass through.
The study is published in Light: Science & Applications, with contributions from KAUST Professors Osman Bakr and Boon Ooi, postdoctoral researcher Saichao Dang, master's student Hasan H. Almahfoudh, and KACST Assistant Professor Abdulrahman M. Alajlan.