Since we last heard about the whitest white paint, the breakthrough paint has appeared in this year’s edition of Guinness World Records and more recently, it has a new version that could see the application in automobiles, planes, refrigerator trucks, and even spacecraft.
The new formulation was developed in response to NASA’s inquiry about a thinner version suitable for use on spacecraft. The result is the whitest white 2.0 which reflects a teeny weeny less sunlight than the first version (97.9% vs. 98.1%) but it is 2.5 times thinner than the original and 80% lighter.
With it being thin enough, it could be applied on vehicles like cars, planes, and whatnot, which could lower surface temperature as much as 42 degrees Fahrenheit (5.6 degrees Celsius). This could mean a lower load on AC which translates to lowering fuel consumption.
But just how thin is the new paint? Well, an effective coat of the original was 400 micros while the version is just 150 microns. To put things in perspective, wall paint is about 200 microns thick, or 0.2 millimeters, and the industry standard for cars is around 120 microns.
As you can see, the 2.0 has the potential to be painted on automobiles. Perhaps not just any automobiles but refrigerator trucks could utilize it first since weight isn’t quite a priority.
Getting it thinner is not just about giving it a thinner coat. That would not have achieved the same cooling results. Instead, a new brand-new ingredient has to be developed (read more).
Long story short, the paint is not quite ready for commercialization. A series of tests are required – amount other things but Prof Ruan believes that it will be ready in two-three years’ time.
Featured image: Purdue University Photo/John Underwood.
via Fast Company.
