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New pigment-free coating stays 6°C cooler than surrounding air in desert sun

Times of India · DistrictNews · 2026-08-26

New pigment-free coating stays 6°C cooler than surrounding air in desert sun

Columbia Engineering researchers developed a porous polymer coating that can cool surfaces below the surrounding air temperature without using electricity. The coating replaces conventional white pigments with nano-to-microscale air voids that reflect sunlight and release heat towards the sky. Tests showed the surface stayed about 6°C below ambient temperature in Arizona and 3°C below it in Bangladesh. As temperatures rise during hot weather, keeping buildings and other structures cool can require large amounts of energy. Air conditioners are a common way to deal with the heat, but they consume electricity and need access to cooling systems and, in some cases, coolants that can affect the environment. New pigment-free coating stays 6°C cooler than surrounding air in desert sun

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