Nissan Has Created Paint That Repels Heat
Nissan is working hard testing a new type of automotive paint to help lower vehicle ambient cabin temperature. It’s being targeted at light commercial vehicle applications like vans, trucks, ambulances, and others that spend most of the day out in the sun.
The paint has been developed in partnership with Radi-Cool, a specialist in radiative cooling products. It uses synthetic composite material not found in nature and features two microstructure particles that react to light.
One particle reflects near-infrared rays in sunlight, which would cause molecular level vibrations of traditional paint to produce heat. The second particle creates electromagnetic waves that counteract the sun’s rays to redirect the energy away from the vehicle. Working together, both particles reduce the transfer of heat to the roof, hood, doors and other panels.
Nissan says the effect is especially notable when a vehicle is parked in the sun for an extended period. During the ongoing testing phase, the company’s results show that the paint showed a 12-degree Celsius reduction in exterior surface temperature and up to 5-degree Celsius cooler interior.
A cooler interior temperature would mean less work for the car’s A/C unit. In turn, this would reduce fuel or battery power that is needed to make it effective. The result would be noticeable power-saving benefits throughout the year.
This type of radiant cooling paint is usually used for buildings and other structures. It is very thick and requires application by a paint roller. There’s also no topcoat, which leaves a chalky residue when touched.
Leading the new paint’s development at Nissan is Dr. Susumu Miura. He and his team are working to make it automotive friendly. The paint should incorporate a clear topcoat and can be applied on a car using a spray gun like traditional paint.
“My dream is to create cooler cars without consuming energy” explained Miura. “This is especially important in the EV era, where the load from running air-conditioning in summer can have a sizable impact on the state of charge,” he said.
Currently, it’s also six times thicker than traditional paint, which is why Miura and his team are looking for thinner options that can deliver the same level of cooling performance. As of now, the current material has shown resistance to salt, chipping, peeling, scratches, chemical reaction, color consistency and repairability.
Testing and development is still ongoing at Nissan but Miura and his team hope to one day be offered special orders for his paint and in a variety of colours.
