Scientists have discovered a formula for a coating that can be applied to surfaces such as rooftops and roads, designed to reflect solar radiation back into space, thereby helping to cool the Earth.
Theoretically, this coating is a mixture of inexpensive aluminum oxide and glass particles. It can reflect a significant amount of solar radiation from painted surfaces, such as roofs and roads, according to Space.com.
“New cooling glass paint” reflects 99% of solar radiation into space – (Photo: NASA).
Tests have shown that this type of coating reflects up to 99% of solar radiation back into space. The research team states that this could be a promising method to reduce temperatures worldwide.
Most surfaces naturally release heat; the Earth also cools itself by radiating heat into space, especially on clear nights.
The newly developed coating will accelerate this cooling process by reflecting a spectrum of solar light that passes through the Earth’s atmosphere and escapes into space without raising temperatures. It effectively uses space as a heat sink.
The new glass paint from the team comes in 4 colors and is unique in that it has a durability of at least 30 years, thanks to its ability to withstand temperatures up to 1,000°C as well as exposure to water and even flames, according to the recent study.
“This cooling glass paint is not only a new material but also an important part of the solution to combat climate change,” said Xinpeng Zhao, a scientist at the University of Maryland (USA) and the lead researcher of the study.
Aaswath Raman, a professor of materials science at the University of California, Los Angeles, who did not participate in the study, commented to Space.com: “I think this is definitely an exciting and effective invention.”
The new research is detailed in a study published in the journal Science.
