Indiana Researchers' White Paint May One Day Replace Air Conditioners

Engineers at Purdue University created a paint so white that it's designed to keep things cool.

What makes the ultra-white paint unique is that it doesn't absorb as much light as regular white paint.

“Our paint only absorbs 1.9 percent of the sunlight, whereas commercial paint absorbs 10 to 20 percent of sunlight,” said mechanical engineer professor Xiulin Ruan in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine.

By absorbing more sunlight, commercial white paint warms up the surface it's on. Ultra-white does the opposite and keeps the surface its painted on cool. It works like sunblock for your house.

In tests done on a sunny day in West Lafayette, Indiana, researchers found that the paint kept outdoor surfaces 8 degrees cooler than the surrounding temperature while the paint kept indoor surfaces 19 degrees cooler than their surroundings.

Ruan sees the ultra-white paint as potentially eliminating the need for air conditioning during warmer months.

"If you were to use this paint to cover a roof area of about 1,000 square feet, we estimate that you could get a cooling power of 10 kilowatts. That's more powerful than the central air conditioners used by most houses," he said.

Researchers have applied for a patent and are testing to see how durable the paint is. The goal is to make the paint available to consumers, and Ruan expects it to retail around $30 to $40 per gallon.

Photo: Getty Images


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