Permafrost thawing prevention via a cooling geotextile

Abstract

Permafrost thawing prevention may involve deploying a cooling geotextile onto a permafrost soil. The geotextile may include a biomass scaffold comprising natural plant-based fibers. The geotextile may further include a cellulose layer comprising cellulose fibers laminated onto the biomass scaffold such that the cellulose fibers are physically entangled with the plant-based fibers. The geotextile may further include a hydrophobic and biodegradable coating which defines at least one surface of the geotextile. The geotextile may be optically opaque, exhibits high solar reflectivity, and maintains high mid-infrared emissivity to enable passive radiative cooling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooling geotextile, comprising:
 a biomass scaffold comprising natural plant-based fibers;   a cellulose layer comprising cellulose fibers laminated onto the biomass scaffold such that the cellulose fibers are physically entangled with the plant-based fibers; and   a hydrophobic and biodegradable coating which defines at least one surface of the geotextile,   wherein the geotextile is optically opaque, exhibits high solar reflectivity, and maintains high mid-infrared emissivity to enable passive radiative cooling.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic and biodegradable coating comprises cellulose acetate (CA). 
     
     
         3 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic and biodegradable coating may include polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silica (SiO 2 ), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the coating or treatment forms a conformal or porous layer that retains breathability and transparency to mid-infrared radiation. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the geotextile has a solar reflectance of at least 90% across the wavelength range of 250 nm to 2500 nm and an emissivity of at least 0.90 in the mid-infrared range of 8 to 13 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the cellulose layer is optically opaque and contributes to both solar reflection and mid-infrared emission. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the natural plant-based fibers include cotton, jute, hemp, flax, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling geotextile of  claim 1 , wherein the cellulose layer is formed from carded and webbed fibers including cotton, flax, hemp, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A method of fabricating a cooling geotextile, comprising:
 forming a biomass scaffold from natural plant-based fibers;   layering a cellulose sheet on the biomass scaffold and mechanically entangling fibers of the cellulose sheet with fibers to the biomass scaffold to form a composite sheet; and   applying a hydrophobic and biodegradable coating to at least one surface of the composite sheet,   wherein the coating or treatment enhances solar reflectivity and preserves mid-infrared emissivity.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein applying a hydrophobic and biodegradable coating to at least one surface of the composite sheet further comprises:
 preparing a cellulose acetate (CA) solution;   applying the cellulose acetate solution to the composite by spray coating, dip coating, or blade coating; and   drying the coated composite to form the hydrophobic and biodegradable layer which maintains high solar reflectivity and mid-infrared emissivity.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 deploying onto a permafrost soil, a geotextile comprising a biomass scaffold comprising natural plant-based fibers, a cellulose layer comprising cellulose fibers laminated onto the biomass scaffold such that the cellulose fibers are physically entangled with the plant-based fibers, a hydrophobic and biodegradable coating which defines at least one surface of the geotextile.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the geotextile is optically opaque, exhibits high solar reflectivity, and maintains high mid-infrared emissivity to enable passive radiative cooling. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobic and biodegradable coating comprises cellulose acetate (CA). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the hydrophobic and biodegradable coating may include cellulose acetate (CA), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), silica (SiO 2 ), or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the coating or treatment forms a conformal or porous layer that retains breathability and transparency to mid-infrared radiation. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the geotextile has a solar reflectance of at least 90% across the wavelength range of 250 nm to 2500 nm and an emissivity of at least 0.90 in the mid-infrared range of 8 to 13 μm. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cellulose layer is optically opaque and contributes to both solar reflection and mid-infrared emission. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the natural plant-based fibers include cotton, jute, hemp, flax, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the cellulose layer is formed from carded and webbed fibers including cotton, flax, hemp, or a combination thereof.