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Solution to global warming:
The whitest paint in the world!
Painting roofs white is a way of keeping buildings cool for centuries. A new dye developed by US scientists takes it a step further.
With scientists looking for a solution to the global climate crisis, a new idea is emerging every day. Finally, a new paint developed in the United States can be a remedy for cooling buildings, especially in large cities where construction is intense. According to the Guardian, the product developed by Prof. Xiulin Ruan and his team, described as ”the whitest paint in the world” is able to reflect 98% of sunlight back and send infrared heat back into space. Tests have shown that paint can reduce the temperature on surfaces to 4.5 degrees below ambient temperature even when sunlight is very strong. Researchers said the paint could be on the market in 1-2 years.
As a matter of fact, painting the roofs of buildings white is a cooling technique that has been used in hot climatic regions for centuries. Today, when global temperatures are increasing, this technique has become available in many places from India to the United States.
WHAT IS THE PROPERTY OF NEW PAINT?
Currently available reflective white paints can reflect 80-90% of sunlight and absorb ultraviolet rays. This means that surfaces cannot fall below ambient temperature.
Newly developed paint, on the other hand, reduces the need for air conditioners in hot weather and hence the carbon released in this way as it can lower the surface temperature below the ambient temperature.
In his statement relating to the product, Ruan has stated his opinions: ”Our paint can help cooling the world and contribute to the fight against global warming. Producing the whitest white means that the paint can reflect the maximum amount of sunlight into space.This is a higher level than the central
air conditioning systems used in many households” Ruan said, adding that painting a 93-square-metre wide roof with this paint provides a cooling power of 10 kilowatts.
THREE IMPORTANT FACTORS
Paint details were published in the science journal ACB Applied Materials & Interfaces. According to the magazine, there are three factors that play a role in making paint so effective in cooling. Unlike other dyes, in this dye, Barium Sulfate (BaSO4) is used as a pigment at first. Contrary to conventional pigment titanium dioxide, barium sulfate does not absorb ultraviolet rays. The second factor is the density of the pigment used. This new dye uses 60% Barium Sulfate. The third is that the size of the pigment particles is not constant. The amount of light a particle distributes depends on the size of that particle. Therefore, the fact that there are particles of different sizes in the paint allows the range of light coming from the sun to spread more.
SENDING HEAT BACK TO THE SPACE
Ruan’s lab evaluated more than 100 different materials and tried more than 50 formulations for each substance. As a result, the formulation, which could reflect 98 percent of the light, was decided. The other paint developed by the team used calcium carbonate, or chalk powder, and could reflect 95.5 percent of sunlight. When surfaces are coated with paint containing Barium Sulphate, they can go below ambient temperature because they reflect a vast majority of light, even under direct sunlight, and can radiate infrared heat at a wavelength that is not absorbed by air. Ruan explained the result as “irradiation can pass through the atmosphere and disappear directly into space.” Standard acrylic solvent is used in paint and its production is no different from conventional paints, the researchers said. Likewise, the price of paint will not be higher than conventional paints, because Barium Sulfate is cheaper than titanium dioxide.
“WHITER THAN SNOW”
But can a paint that reflects light so much be harmful to the eyes? “Our surface diffusely reflects sunlight, so there is no strong reflection towards a single direction. It only has a brighter white appearance; it is slightly whiter than snow,” he said. The university and the research team also applied for a patent on the paint. “I hope that if we act quickly, the paint will be available on the market in a year or two,” Ruan said, adding that they are working with a large company for the commercial production of the paint. Experts evaluating the research also believe the discovery could be promising. Lukas Schertel, a light-distribution expert at the University of Cambridge, said: “The use of paint for coolness is not new, but the potential to improve the situation is still high when used extensively. This research is taking a step towards solutions that can also be commercially meaningful. I am confident that if this technology continues to be developed, it will reduce carbon emissions and have a global impact.” Stating that too high pigment density and application of paint in thick layers may cause cost problems, Schertel said, “The most basic cost in paint is pigment.” Ruan said they hope to optimize the paint so that it can be used in thinner layers. The team is also trying to simplify implementation and reduce costs using other materials.
Andrew Parnell, who works on sustainable exterior coverings at Sheffield University, said, “In principle, it is very exciting, and scientifically very sensible.” With the spread of white roofs, 600 million to 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide will be prevented by 2050, according to Project Drawdown, a charity analysing climate solutions. This is equivalent to 1-2 years of greenhouse gas emissions in Turkey.
This news/article has been taken from Hürriyet-World News Appendix.
Mining Sector Exports Increased to $446 Million 771 Thousand in March
Foreign trade, export and import data for March 2021 were declared by the Ministry of Commerce. According to the general trade system (GTS), our country's exports increased by 42.2% in March compared to the same month last year, reaching $18 billion and 985 million.
In the statement made to the public by the Ministry of Commerce; “When the imports of untreated or semi-processed gold are excluded, it is seen that March imports increased by 34.4% compared to the same month of the previous year.
However, with the exception of foreign trade in untreated or semi-treated gold, it is understood that the rate of exports to cover imports increased to 80.7% in March.
Since March 2020, it is seen that the negative effects of the contraction in world economies due to the Covid-19epidemic, which has affected the whole world very negatively both socially and economically, have started to disappear since June 2020, when both our country and world economies entered the normalization process. As a result of the contraction caused by the Covid-19 outbreak in international trade, our exports amounting to 8 billion 978 million dollars in April 2020 became 18 billion 985 million dollars in March 2021. With this value,
the highest export value in the history of the Republic has been realized.”
This news/article has been taken from Mining Turkey Magazine.