A New Ultra-White Paint That Can Reflect 95.5% Of Sunlight Is Created By Scientists Which Can Cool Down Buildings During Summer

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Some things will always seem to astound us. Technology has made so many things possible that we could only dream about decades before. Now, it is reported that scientists have invented a paint so white and reflective, it can reflect 95.5% of the sunlight that reaches its surface. This may not really be amazing, until you realize that it could be used to cool down entire buildings from the summer heat. We know the discomfort of a hot summer, at times the air conditioning is just not powerful enough against the penetrating heat.


Well, a team from Purdue University did the research for the discovery. They experimented with the paint over the course of two days. The team discovered that when the sun was at its highest point, the surface covered with the paint was at least 1.7 C below other objects surrounding it. At night, it remained at 10C below the temperatures. Senior author of the  Purdue team, Professor Xiulin Ruan, stated, It is a persistent task to develop a below-ambient radiative cooling solution that offers a convenient single-layer particle-matrix paint form and high reliability.”  The professor continued, This is critical to the wide application of radiative cooling and to alleviate the global warming effect.”

Science Alert

Cooling down is always a welcome solution to the heat from global warming. Note that the new paint will not only affect the surface of the building outside. The temperature indoors would also be altered, which would result in reducing the amount of air conditioning needed, and saving money on electric bills. Both residential and commercial places would benefit from such a paint, including warehouses storing perishable items.

The new reflective paint is made out of acrylic with a calcium carbonate component. However, it lacks a metallic component which could allow the paint to be used on outdoor telecommunication equipment and keep it cool without interfering with any signal.


Professor Ruan explained, Our paint is compatible with the manufacturing process of commercial paint, and the cost may be comparable, or even lower. The key is to ensure the reliability of the paint so that it is viable in long-term outdoor applications.”  The research work was supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research through the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program, and the Cooling Technologies Research Center at Purdue University.

Hopefully the paint is as amazing as they claim. Lots of places that experience intense heat during summer will surely welcome this new invention. Who knows what science may discover next. We can only just imagine.

 

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