Nonmetallic metasurfaces cut radiant heat transfer by 80%

Researchers at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center and Honeywell Aerospace have developed thin, nonmetallic coatings that reduce radiant heat transfer between closely spaced bodies by over 80% in tests, offering a new thermal insulation method. The metasurface coatings outperformed nonstructured surfaces of the same dielectric materials and maintained effectiveness across varied temperatures and fabrication variations. By designing surface pairs with spectrally mismatched properties, the team overcame bandwidth limitations of conventional nonmetallic photonic coatings, which typically trade narrowband performance against thickness. Published in Nature Communications, the proof-of-concept technology targets applications in electronics, infrared sensors, and spacecraft where metallic coatings interfere with sensitive systems. The academic-industry partnership plans further testing, with the approach using established thin-film deposition techniques for practical implementation.