Researchers at Purdue University, Indiana, claim to have created the whitest paint in history.

Capable of reflecting up to 98.1% of sunlight, this paint achieves the title of most intense white paint, a title that was heretofore held by another formulation which reflected "only" 95.5% of the sunlight.

The latter was unveiled last October, by the same researchers.

Beyond the prestige of having developed the whitest paint in history, researchers have developed this new formulation with the aim of improving the insulation of buildings.

In addition to reflecting sunlight, white rejects heat, unlike black which absorbs light and heat.

Painting buildings with the whitest paint in history could therefore keep them cool longer without the need for air conditioning.

A secret ingredient

To develop this new paint, researchers at Purdue University heavily concentrated its barium sulfate content. “We found that by using barium sulfate, you can theoretically make things really, really reflective, which means they're really, really white,” said Xiangyu Li, one of the researchers on the project. of the whitest paint in history. In addition, since the barium sulfate particles are of different sizes, paint highly concentrated in this component can diffuse a wider range of light and therefore reflect sunlight more widely.

This color could therefore be a solution in the fight against global warming.

We know the use of fans and other air conditioners represents a major source of pollution and their use should increase as temperatures rise.

This is why finding less polluting solutions such as a paint that rejects 98.1% of the light and the heat of the sun is essential.

It is also necessary that this ultra-white paint can be marketed and used to repaint buildings and houses.

A few years ago, researchers had already succeeded in developing the darkest black in history: the Vantablack.

The latter absorbs 99.99% of light.

Society

The most beautiful white photos of our Internet users

Planet

Almost all of climate change is due to human activities, study finds

  • Lights

  • Sun

  • Global warming

  • Weather

  • energy

  • High-Tech

  • Science