Surface engineering and nanomaterials for sustainable indirect evaporative cooling systems

The rising demand for energy-efficient cooling has driven advancements in Indirect Evaporative Cooling (IEC) systems. This review explores nanomaterials and surface enhancements to improve thermal efficiency, corrosion resistance, and anti-fouling properties. Nanomaterials can boost COP by 16–43% and enable up to 36.1% energy savings. However, scalability and stability challenges remain. Emerging trends like MOFs and additive manufacturing offer promising solutions, guiding future research toward large-scale, sustainable IEC applications.