Washington (GGM) Analysis | October 5, 2021 by author and climate journalist Noreen Wise
Researchers at Perdue University in Indiana, have recently announced the ingenious whitest paint ever. It is expected to be available to the general public at major retailers across the country, within a couple of years, according to lead researcher Xiulin Ruan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Perdue, who, along with his students, created the ultra-white paint. Ruan explained that they were in the process of partnering with large corporations to commercialize the paint.
This white paint overachiever will be listed in the 2022 Guinness Wold Record book as the whitest white paint.
Commercial white paint has an albedo (measurement of 0-1) of .8 and is considered highly reflective. White’s albedo is a little lower than light silver, which has an albedo of .90 (black has an albedo of 0). The current commercial white paint is a full .20 lower than the highest albedo material of all, the perfect mirror, which has an albedo of 1.
Solar Reflex Index (SRI, measured from 0-100) is considered a better indicator than albedo in calculating a material’s response to solar radiation in that SRI also includes emissivity (the re-radiating of absorbed solar-radiation back out to the sky), while albedo does not.
So, why is this newest whitest white paint such a phenomenon?
- It has an SRI of 98.1%.
- Will make roofs cooler than the surrounding ambient air temperature (19ºF cooler at night, 8ºF cooler during day), existing commercial white paint cannot match this extraordinary feat.
- It is more powerful than standard air conditioners in lowering the heat, with no carbon emissions.
- Contains a very high concentration of barium sulfate.
- Barium sulfate particles are all different sizes which enables it to scatter more of the sun’s light spectrum.
- Ruan and team’s research began 6 years ago and was built on previous scientific research that dates back to the 1970s.
Once this ultra-white paint is available to the general public, it will become a simple, easy, affordable climate solution that will not reduce indoor temperatures at no cost, but will simultaneously put more money in our pockets, and reduce total global carbon emissions, as we strive to reduce CO2 (from 2005 levels) 50% by 2030. The whitest of white paints will be able to be applied very quickly by the vast majority of businesses, communities, and families. (In US, home cooling and heating is responsible for approximately 441 million tons of carbon emissions per year.)
Until the ultra-white paint arrives on store shelves, businesses and government buildings can continue using current commercial white paint that has successfully cooled many millions of square feet of rooftops, roads and other flat surfaces from coast to coast in the Unites States.
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Interesting fact. Looking forward for the ultra white paint available to the public.
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