February 2, 2026
We are excited to announce that SolarMantle has been selected as the latest company to enter the Field Trial Phase of Chevron Studio.
SolarMantle is pioneering an advanced polymer material that offers passive cooling by radiating heat to outer space. Early tests demonstrate a reduction of over 25°F relative to ambient temperature and may help reduce energy use. This novel advanced material uses existing manufacturing processes offering the potential for scale and deployment in multiple applications including data centers, communications, transportation, rooftops, agriculture, and defense.
Developed over six years of research by Dr. Lili Cai and her team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with funding from the National Science Foundation, SolarMantle's material combines advanced heat-emitting and reflective properties with production methods that are designed to support future scalability.
SolarMantle has successfully partnered with the University of Massachusetts Lowell to scale the production of their advanced polymer material from lab scale to a roll-to-roll manufactured product. They are also a winner of the US Army’s xTechSearch 9 program. This advancement provides a product that can be applied to a variety of use cases including vehicles, data centers, defense applications and commercial buildings.
SolarMantle is pioneering an advanced polymer material that offers passive cooling by radiating heat to outer space. Early tests demonstrate a reduction of over 25°F relative to ambient temperature and may help reduce energy use. This novel advanced material uses existing manufacturing processes offering the potential for scale and deployment in multiple applications including data centers, communications, transportation, rooftops, agriculture, and defense.
Developed over six years of research by Dr. Lili Cai and her team at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with funding from the National Science Foundation, SolarMantle's material combines advanced heat-emitting and reflective properties with production methods that are designed to support future scalability.
SolarMantle has successfully partnered with the University of Massachusetts Lowell to scale the production of their advanced polymer material from lab scale to a roll-to-roll manufactured product. They are also a winner of the US Army’s xTechSearch 9 program. This advancement provides a product that can be applied to a variety of use cases including vehicles, data centers, defense applications and commercial buildings.
