In the face of worsening global warming with record-breaking temperatures, scientists at the University of Maryland have developed a new, highly reflective ‘cooling glass’. The layer is intended to help cool the rapidly warming earth.
The ‘cooling glass’ – a mud-like, porous mixture of glass and aluminum oxide particles – can reflect sunlight from surfaces to which it is applied, such as building roofs or streets, according to the researchers.
Reflects 99% of solar radiation into space
Laboratory tests have shown that it can reflect up to 99 percent of solar radiation back into space. If proven, the ‘cooling glass’ could be a promising way to lower global temperatures, the research team reports.
“This ‘cooling glass’ is more than a new material – it is an important key to solving the problem of climate change,” Xinpeng Zhao of the University of Maryland said in a statement. “It could change the way we live and help us take better care of our homes and our planet,” he said.
Must reduce CO₂ emissions by ten percent
The ‘cooling glass’ can dampen indoor heat without electricity, by taking advantage of the cold depths of space. According to the research team, it can reduce the temperature of the underlying material by 3.5 degrees Celsius in the afternoon and has the potential to reduce the annual carbon dioxide emissions of a medium-sized residential building by ten percent.
The coating works in two ways: it reflects up to 99 percent of solar radiation, preventing buildings from absorbing heat. And it emits this in the form of long-wave infrared radiation into icy space, where temperatures are typically around minus 270 degrees Celsius.
Coating lasts at least 30 years
The ceramic-based coating, which comes in four colors, is new because it will last at least 30 years, they say. And according to the researchers, it can also withstand temperatures of up to 1000 degrees Celsius, the action of water and even flames.
Source: Krone
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