Modeling of Total Solar Reflectance as a Formulation tool

By Wally Kesler

New uses for solar heat management (SHM) coatings are expanding in demand beyond the traditional building products markets. New areas of application, including transportation, consumer comfort, and safety, are joining energy conservation where near infrared (NIR)-reflective pigments can add value. What if the formulation process for these coatings included modeling the reflectance behavior of the surface before a drop of paint was made?

The best candidates for the application could be chosen—minimizing trial, error, and cost—in the development process. This article outlines the formulation process for an SHM coating utilizing proprietary modeling software to predict the total solar reflectance (TSR) of a trial coating. Examples illustrate the influence of formulation and substrate on predicted and measured TSR values.