We, at present, live in a concrete jungle which amounts to a lot of radiated heat forcing us to opt for coolers and air conditioners. This is because the concrete walls absorb and retain heat.
This is where cooling solutions like radiative cooling technology, which can keep buildings cooler by using efficient materials come in. It can provide sustainable solutions to the cities’ huge energy needs for air conditioning.
Enhancing the technology further, a group of Nanoscientists has discovered an ultra-white paint that will drastically reduce the heat, in turn, cutting energy needs for air conditioning. This will also directly help reducing global warming as the emissions by ACs will be diminished.
As per the scientists, this new paint uses radiative cooling, which uses materials that themselves reflect most of the solar heat, and whatever heat they receive; they emit it at a high rate. To be exact, the solar reflectance (the ratio of solar energy falling and being reflected back) of the material is as high as 98% and the emissivity, the ability to lose heat, is close to 95%. This is a whopping amount of reflective power as compared to the existing range. It also reflects the ultraviolet and infrared radiation coming from the sun.
“Our paint can help fight against global warming by helping to cool the Earth – that’s the cool point,” said Xiulin Ruan, one of the scientists who conducted the research to the Guardian.
The nanoscientist team conducted their study at the Birch Nanotechnology Centre of Purdue University in the United States. Nanoparticle films and nanocomposite paints of Barium Sulphate, the tested material which is also odorless were developed to conduct the experiment.
Claimed as the whitest of the white paint, the color can be used in a range of applications such as cars, buildings, and in the aerospace industry as well.