Now Reading: Polymer coating keeps surfaces 6°C cooler without energy
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Polymer coating keeps surfaces 6°C cooler without energy
Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a pigment-free polymer coating that keeps surfaces cooler than the surrounding air without electricity. The coating uses microscopic air voids to reflect sunlight and radiate heat…
Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a pigment-free polymer coating that keeps surfaces cooler than the surrounding air without electricity. The coating uses microscopic air voids to reflect sunlight and radiate heat toward the sky, achieving cooling of about 6°C below ambient temperature in the Arizona desert and about 3°C in Bangladesh's tropical climate.
The coating, which can be applied like paint, has a solar reflectance of over 96% and thermal emittance of about 97%. Published in journal Science, the study is based on passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC), which requires no external energy source. The researchers said the material could be applied to rooftops, buildings, water tanks, vehicles and spacecraft, and they are working on coloured versions for surfaces where white is not suitable.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Passive daytime radiative cooling has been studied for over a decade, but the Columbia Engineering approach solves a key barrier: the need for special reflectors. Most PDRC designs use silver mirrors or complex multilayer structures that raise cost and hinder real-world application. This coating, applied like paint, avoids those constraints. The phase-inversion process used to trap air voids is already common in water filtration membranes, so pilot-scale production is plausible. In India's hot and humid coastal cities or the arid Deccan plateau, such a coating could cut air-conditioning loads for both new buildings and retrofits. The Bureau of Indian Standards does not yet have a rating for PDRC materials, but a US Department of Energy test protocol exists. The next check is whether the coating's 3-6°C cooling holds over multi-year weathering.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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