Scientists create ‘whitest paint’ to tackle climate change

WEST LAFAYETTE: Scientists from the United States University, in a pioneering research, have created the world’s ‘whitest paint’. The white color of this paint reflects 98.1 per cent of solar light as compared to commercial white paint, reflecting only 80-90 per cent of the heat of sunlight. It also emits infrared heat, which can cool the area around buildings. The team who created the paint was led by Xiulin Ruan, a professor of mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

The white paint absorbs less heat than the heat emitted from the sun, through which, the use of air conditioners can be reduced. Purdue University stated that typical commercial white paints get warmer and not cooler. Commercial paints designed to reject heat reflect only 80-90 per cent of the sunlight, but fail to make surfaces cooler than their surroundings.

The developers of the paint said that covering a roof area of about 1000 square feet using the paint can generate upto 10 kilowatts of cooling power. They added that this is more powerful than air conditioners used in most houses. The ‘whitest paint’ also earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for being so white.

Ruan said that the team had the objectives of saving energy and fighting climate change in mind when they had first started the project seven years ago.