https://newatlas.com/materials/worlds-whitest-paint-thin-cars-planes/ * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories (c) 2022 New Atlas New Atlas logo Menu * HOME * LIFESTYLE + Health & Wellbeing + Outdoors + Tiny Houses + Architecture + Around the Home + Good Thinking + Holiday Destinations + View all LIFESTYLE categories * SCIENCE + Energy + Medical + Space + Materials + Biology + Environment + Physics + View all SCIENCE categories * TECHNOLOGY + Photography + Military + Mobile Technology + Games + Drones + Home Entertainment + Deals + View all TECHNOLOGY categories * TRANSPORT + Automotive + Aircraft + Bicycles + Motorcycles + Marine + Urban Transport + View all TRANSPORT categories * SUBSCRIBE AD-FREE * LOG IN Show Search [ ]Search Query Submit Search Materials World's whitest paint is now thin enough to coat cars and planes By Nick Lavars October 03, 2022 * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn Inline image / # World's whitest paint is now thin enough to coat cars and planes Creators of the world's whitest paint hope to soon apply it to planes and cars Creators of the world's whitest paint hope to soon apply it to planes and cars Depositphotos View 3 Images 1/3 Creators of the world's whitest paint hope to soon apply it to planes and cars Depositphotos 2/3 The new version of the world's whitest paint seen on the right, compared to the thicker, previous iteration on the left Purdue University photo/Andrea Felicelli 3/3 Study author Xiulin Ruan with his lab's sample of the whitest paint on record Purdue University/Jared Pike [icon-mouse-sc] View gallery - 3 images Last year, engineers at Purdue University used their expertise in materials science to produce the world's whitest paint, with an ability to reflect around 98% of incoming sunlight and therefore holds great potential when it comes to energy efficiency for buildings. The team has now made some tweaks to the recipe and produced a version that is thinner and lighter, which they say is ideal for use on cars, trains and planes. The original version of the ultra-white paint owed its supreme ability to reflect sunlight to the inclusion of barium sulfate, a chemical compound used in photographic paper and cosmetics. This was added to the mix in the form of particles of different sizes with varying ability to scatter light, enabling the paint to bounce away more of the spectrum of incoming sunlight. With a reflectivity of 98.1%, the material far exceeded the reflectivity of commercially available heat-reflecting paints that boast 80 to 90% reflectivity. In tests on outdoor surfaces, the team found the paint could significantly lower their temperature compared to the ambient surrounds and could potentially produce cooling effects that are on par with common air conditioners. But the paint did have its shortcomings. "To achieve this level of radiative cooling below the ambient temperature, we had to apply a layer of paint at least 400 microns thick," said Xiulin Ruan, who developed the paint. "That's fine if you're painting a robust stationary structure, like the roof of a building. But in applications that have precise size and weight requirements, the paint needs to be thinner and lighter." So Ruan and his team came up with a new recipe. The new material features boron nitride in hexagonal nanoplatelet form and offers a solar reflectance of 97.9%, so a touch below the original, but does so in layers of just 150 microns thick. This new paint is not only thinner, but is also lower density and therefore weighs around 80% less. The new version of the world's whitest paint seen on the right, compared to the thicker, previous iteration on the left Purdue University photo/Andrea Felicelli "This light weight opens the doors to all kinds of applications," said George Chiu, a Purdue professor of mechanical engineering. "Now this paint has the potential to cool the exteriors of airplanes, cars or trains. An airplane sitting on the tarmac on a hot summer day won't have to run its air conditioning as hard to cool the inside, saving large amounts of energy. Spacecraft also have to be as light as possible, and this paint can be a part of that." The scientists say they are currently in discussions to commercialize their paint and, having filed patents for the technology, are enthusiastic about the possibilities. "Using this paint will help cool surfaces and greatly reduce the need for air conditioning," Ruan said. "This not only saves money, but it reduces energy usage, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions. And unlike other cooling methods, this paint radiates all the heat into deep space, which also directly cools down our planet. It's pretty amazing that a paint can do all that." The research was published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science. Source: Purdue University View gallery - 3 images Tags MaterialsPurdue UniversityPaintPurdue UniversityCooling * Facebook * Twitter * Flipboard * LinkedIn 6 comments Nick Lavars Nick Lavars Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. He previously spent time at The Conversation, Mashable and The Santiago Times, earning a Masters degree in communications from Melbourne's RMIT University along the way. Most Viewed * A new study could recontextualize metastasis in cancer Medical Cambridge cancer breakthrough may prompt rethink of metastasis * Coxsackievirus (above) is one type of the enterovirus genus associated with the development of type 1 diabetes Health & Wellbeing Increasing evidence a common virus triggers type 1 diabetes * The M/V New Aden - a sail-assisted supertanker - has been delivered in China Marine Giant supertanker uses 9.8% less fuel thanks to 130-foot sails Load More 6 comments Sign in to post a comment. Please keep comments to less than 150 words. No abusive material or spam will be published. Artificial Gravity October 4, 2022 02:46 AM Barium Sulphate (Barite or Barytes) was a cheap additive to paint and has been around for a very long time. It is found in base metal mines in large quantities and is found associated with Lead (Galena) and Zinc (Sphalerite). The Force Crag mine in the Lake District of the UK supplied a paint manufacturer with very clean Barite in the early 80s.When I was working there. SteveMc October 4, 2022 02:51 AM Excellent news! Just what I have been waiting for to adapt into a teeth whitener. You can now have the coolest smile on the planet, literally :) Excalibur October 4, 2022 04:00 AM What excellent timing. This could possibly now feasibly be applied to a huge sail placed in space to reflect sunlight and reduce global warming. With a small booster at each corner for altitude adjustments it should stay up there for as long as we need it and be extended as required from time to time. 3Bravo7 October 4, 2022 08:30 AM I'll take 3 gallons please DavidB October 4, 2022 09:29 AM I'd sure like to have read more about the claim that "this paint radiates all the heat into deep space." Using what method did the developers test and prove their claim? Specifically: *By what mechanism is reflected heat able to make it all the way to "deep space"? * Using what equipment did they trace reflected heat all the way to "deep space"? * At what distance from Earth do they consider "deep space" to begin? TechGazer October 4, 2022 11:16 AM Replacing my brown asphalt shingle roof with white-painted metal made a huge difference in my cabin's temperature in summer. White roofs should probably be mandatory in areas that require cooling. I think mandatory R-values for new homes is common--and accepted--now, so roof reflectivity requirements should be possible too. It doesn't need to be this super-white paint, but even light colours increase heat absorption quite a bit. Saving comment... [ ] Post New Atlas logo GET OUR NEWSLETTER Over 220,000 people receive our email newsletter. Get your daily dose of extraordinary ideas! 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