After it was shown to reflect 98.7% of the sunlight that comes in, a bright white paint could be used to reduce the need for air conditioning. The tests showed that the paint alone could keep surfaces 19 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the surrounding air.

This was done by completely reflecting any solar radiation that came in. The paint is made by a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University.

Now that the paint has been changed in a way that makes it work the same way with a thinner coat, it could become an industry standard.

What is Paint?

Paint is a liquid substance when spread in a thin layer on a surface, turns into a solid layer. It is used to protect, colour, or change the feel of something.

Important Details

• Professor “Xiulin Ruan” has been contacted by everyone from companies that make spacecraft and shoes to those that make clothes and architecture.
• Ruan got a spot in the Guinness World Record for having the whitest paint in the world.
• For this record to be set, the paint had to be put on in a layer 400 microns thick, which can only be done on structures that don’t move, like buildings.
• Ruan and his team decided to start their experiments over with new materials.
• They used hexagonal chemical elements this time.
• The air spaces inside of it make the paint very porous on a nanoscale.
• Also, the hexagonal shape helps reflect more of the sun’s rays.
• When this lower density is combined with the lower thickness, the overall weight goes down, which is another big benefit.
• Ruan says that the new paint is 80% lighter than ordinary paint.
• Also, it makes almost the same amount of solar reflectance.
• So, this opens the door to a lot of new business opportunities.
• Ruan says that the most important thing is that the ultra-white paint completely reflects the sun’s rays, sending the heat outside of the Earth’s atmosphere.
• Ruan said that talks were now happening about making the technology available to the public.

Similar Stories

• Butterfly-inspired paint saves energy!
• How could white paint reduce air conditioning?
• Computing Fabrics – Textiles and technology unite!

Watch a video

Youtube user “How it’s made official” shares how premier paint is made.

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