Scientists at Purdue University, Indiana, United States have developed a new white paint that could revolutionize the cooling industry. The paint, which is made from a combination of titanium dioxide, barium sulfate, and silica, can reflect sunlight more effectively than any other white paint on the market. This means that it can help to keep buildings cooler in hot weather, reducing the need for air conditioning.
The potential benefits of this new paint are enormous. In the United States alone, air conditioning accounts for about 15% of all electricity consumption. If this new paint could be widely adopted, it could help to reduce electricity demand and emissions significantly.
Xiulin Ruan, owner of the Patent “Metal-free solar-reflective infrared-emissive paints and methods of producing the same.” Photo: Purdue University
In addition to the environmental benefits, the new paint could also have significant economic implications. The cooling industry is worth billions of dollars, and this new paint could open up new markets for businesses that manufacture and sell paint.
The intellectual property implications of this new paint are also significant. Xiulin Ruan, a professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, and his students who developed the paint have filed for a new patent this July, and there will likely be a great deal of interest from other companies in licensing the technology.
The development of this new white paint is a breakthrough in the fight against climate change because it could be used in a variety of applications, including roofing, siding, insulation, or even cars. Intellectual property stakeholders should be paying close attention to this technology. Even though the patent application for the new paint is still pending, the scientists who developed the paint are likely to be granted a patent, which would give them exclusive rights to the technology.
Xiulin Ruan and Joseph Peoples of Purdue University used an infrared camera to test the cooling performance of the white paint. Photo: Purdue University
The Culmination of Years of Research
Back in 2020, Dr. Ruan and his students unveiled their creation: a type of white paint that can act as a reflector, bouncing 95 percent of the sun’s rays away from the Earth’s surface, up through the atmosphere, and into deep space. A few months later, they announced an even more potent formulation that increased sunlight reflection to 98 percent.
A board that is painted white, lowers the temperature not only on the painted part but on the entire board. Photo: Purdue University
The paint’s properties are almost superheroic. It can make surfaces as much as eight degrees Fahrenheit cooler than ambient air temperatures at midday, and up to 19 degrees cooler at night, reducing temperatures inside buildings and decreasing air-conditioning needs by as much as 40 percent. “It is cool to the touch, even under a blazing sun,” Dr. Ruan said.
Unlike air-conditioners, the paint doesn’t need any energy to work, and it doesn’t warm the outside air. In 2021, Guinness declared it the whitest paint ever, and it’s since collected several awards. And in July 2023, they applied patent application for the lightweight version.
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