You heard of the blackest black and the brightest pigment. Now meet the whitest white. Developed by researchers at Purdue University, ultra-white paint pushed the limits on how white paint can be.
Vantablack, the blackest black in the world absorbs 99.9% of visible light, the ultra-white paint does the opposite; it reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight.
In doing so, the paint sends infrared heat away from the applied surface. This means it has serious positive impact on cooling and therefore, indirectly result in energy conservation.
According to lead researcher, mechanical engineering professor Xinlin Ruan, a 1,000 square-feet roof area painted with ultra-white paint is equivalent to the cooling power of 10 kilowatts, which is more powerful than the central air-conditioners used in most houses.
Apparently, the formula is so reflective, it even worked in winter. So, yeah, the world’s whitest white is also literally the coolest paint.
Anyone who is interested in the development, you may read more in a report posted on Purdue University website.
Images: Purdue University.
Source: boing boing.
