Composite materials with tailored electromagnetic spectral properties, structural elements for enhanced thermal management, and methods for manufacturing thereof

A method, comprising

• measuring a broadband spectral reflectance within the visible (VIS) and Near Infrared (NIR) range at one or more locations within the vicinity of an object;
• providing a plurality of distinct populations of nano- or micro-particles and/or of nano- or micro-cavities, a first population of said plurality of distinct populations comprising at least one of distinct size distributions, shape distributions, chemical compositions, crystal structures, and crystallinity distributions, relative to a second population of said plurality of distinct populations;
• forming a composite material comprising a mixture of the first population and the second population in a carrier material, the composite material having a selected composition ratio of the first population to the second population, and a selected density of the mixture relative to a carrier material such that resulting broadband spectral reflectance of said composite material approximates said measured broadband spectral reflectance at least within the VIS and NIR range;
• and
• applying the composite material on a surface of the object within the vicinity of which the broadband spectral reflectance has been measured.