KAIST's ultrathin polymer coating boosts heat transfer 5.5x in lab tests

KAIST researchers developed an ultrathin polymer coating that increases heat transfer efficiency by 5.5x in lab conditions, potentially lowering energy waste in industrial cooling and data centers.

KAIST researchers created an ultrathin polymer coating applied via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) that achieves a condensation heat transfer coefficient of 88 kW m⁻² K⁻¹. This coating—developed by Professor Youngsuk Nam and Professor Sung Gap Im—enables dropwise condensation through nanoscale polymer aggregates that facilitate droplet nucleation and rapid detachment. In laboratory tests on copper tubes, it delivers 5.5x higher heat transfer than conventional copper surfaces with water film and over 50% better performance than standard hydrophobic coatings. The technology specifically targets energy waste in cooling systems, where improved heat transfer could reduce operational costs for industrial processes and data centers. However, the performance metrics were measured under controlled lab conditions using copper tubes; real-world application has not yet been demonstrated. The 5.5x improvement is benchmarked against conventional copper surfaces with water film, not an absolute performance standard. This advancement directly addresses energy efficiency in thermal management systems where cooling costs represent a significant portion of operational expenses for high-energy infrastructure.

Source: ScienceDaily