HYBRID SOLAR REFLECTIVE COATINGS BASED ON COLLOIDAL AND SOLVOTHERMAL SYNTHESIS

Abstract

The increasing consumption of air-conditioning system causes financial burden and high carbon dioxide emissions to hot climate countries. Exploration for energy-free heat shields to keep the interiors cool and comfortable thus becomes more attractive. Among various solutions, solar heat reflective coatings for building applications, which possess high solar reflectance and high infrared emittance, is competent because of low cost, easy maintenance and technological versatility. This PhD study focuses on developing polymer-based solar reflective coatings with pristine or hybrid format which both display strong light reflectance over UV-Vis and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength ranges. Firstly, the pristine polymer coating matrix is constructed primarily by nanoparticles, which further aggregate to form submicron-grains, and the grains assemble spherulite-like micron-bumps. Secondly, the hybrid composite matrix contains inorganic hollow spheres with particular size, embedded in an acrylic matrix. These hollow spheres are special to solar light reflection because of the hollow spherical cavity and porous shell.