Tag Archives: paint

Covering A Car With Color-Changing Mood Ring Disks

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Presumably curious how her car feels at any given moment, Youtuber Ali Spagnola covered it with 9,000 PopSockets, which she painted with thermochromic liquid crystal paint so they change color based on temperature, just like a mood ring. Wait — so mood rings aren’t sensing my mood, just temperature? 9-year old me demands a full refund!

The disks appear black at cooler temperatures but turn to violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red the warmer they get. Live in Arizona? Then you’ll always be driving a red car. Live in Alaska? Then a black car.

I imagine my car would constantly be red with anger at the way other motorists are driving. There…aren’t a lot of good drivers around here. You’d think new cars don’t even come with turn signals. Or even old cars, for that matter. They all definitely have horns, though!

[via TheAwesomer]

Reduce Green House Emissions by Using These Colorful Paints instead of Air Conditioners

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The interplay between color, light, and temperature has long been a subject of scientific exploration. The colors we perceive are the result of how objects absorb and reflect light, with white being the most reflective and black being the least. Harnessing this science, researchers at Stanford University have pioneered an eco-friendly solution to regulate indoor temperatures and significantly reduce energy consumption, providing a promising alternative to traditional air conditioning systems. This breakthrough comes at a critical juncture, as the global demand for cooling and heating places immense strain on energy resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.

Designer: Stanford Research Team

I am someone who lives in Dubai and don’t even get me started about how hot it gets here throughout the year, and in the summers, it’s honestly unbearable. Living in hot climates like Dubai often means facing sweltering summers where air conditioning becomes a necessity rather than a luxury. However, the environmental consequences of heavy air conditioning usage cannot be ignored. There are many such cities with a similar issue especially with the global temperatures rising. Isn’t it so ironic that the medium we use (AC) to cool our environment momentarily, increases the temperatures in the longer run? In response to this dilemma, scientists have been tirelessly working to develop innovative solutions, and one such breakthrough is the newly invented range of paints from Stanford University.

In October of the previous year, researchers at Purdue University made headlines with their iteration of the world’s whitest paint, reflecting a remarkable 97.1% of the sun’s rays. Building on this achievement, the team at Stanford University has gone a step further by creating a palette of colors, including orange, yellow, blue, and white. This collection of pigments is designed to regulate temperatures, making spaces cooler during summer and warmer in winter, thus reducing the need for excessive heating and air conditioning.

The significance of this invention cannot be understated. Currently, heating and cooling consume around 13% of the world’s energy, contributing to approximately 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The innovative paints developed by Stanford researchers are poised to address this energy challenge head-on, substantially reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.

Key to the success of these paints is their unique composition. Unlike conventional paints, these new colors employ a dual-layer design. The bottom layer utilizes aluminum flakes to create an infrared reflective surface, while an ultrathin, infrared transparent upper layer is made from inorganic nanoparticles. This innovative structure allows the paint to reflect a significant portion of high mid-infrared light, a major contributor to heat absorption. This dual-layer design has practical implications for both cooling and heating. For instance, when applied to exterior walls and roofs, the paint reflects sunlight, preventing heat buildup. Conversely, when applied to interior walls, the lower layer reflects infrared waves, helping to retain heat within the space.

Tests have demonstrated the remarkable effectiveness of these paints. In cold conditions, energy usage for heating was reduced by 36%, while in warm conditions, cooling energy requirements were decreased by nearly 21%. This level of energy savings has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach climate control in buildings and vehicles.

One of the most appealing aspects of these paints is their aesthetics. Unlike traditional low-emissivity paints that are limited to white, metallic silver, or gray, this new range offers a variety of colors. The infrared transparent upper layer enables a broader spectrum of hues, allowing for energy-efficient designs that do not compromise on appearance. This development is particularly important for architecture and design, where aesthetics play a significant role in building construction and urban planning.

Importantly, the new paints are also durable and versatile. Both layers of the paint are water-repellent, ensuring stability even in humid environments. Cleaning painted surfaces is a breeze, requiring nothing more than a wet cloth or water flushing. Moreover, these paints have demonstrated resilience in extreme conditions, from high temperatures to acidic environments, without compromising their performance or appearance.

As this revolutionary technology continues to evolve, the research team is committed to further refining the paint formulations for real-world applications. They are exploring the possibility of replacing organic solutions with water-based alternatives, which would enhance eco-friendliness and commercial viability.

In conclusion, the innovative paints developed by scientists at Stanford University hold the promise of transforming the way we approach temperature regulation in buildings, vehicles, and beyond. By harnessing the power of color and light reflection, these paints offer an environmentally friendly solution to the growing energy consumption associated with heating and cooling. As we continue to strive for sustainable living, such groundbreaking innovations provide a glimmer of hope for a cooler, greener future.

The post Reduce Green House Emissions by Using These Colorful Paints instead of Air Conditioners first appeared on Yanko Design.

How the world’s whitest paint can keep buildings cool while also saving the planet

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White is the new black, at least in terms of being the cool color, especially when it comes to minimalist product designs. That said, it can apparently also be literally cool, at least in one form that could also save the world if adopted as a global standard. Pure white isn’t a color you often paint on houses and buildings, but you might actually be tempted to coat your dwelling with the world’s whitest paint for its “extra features” and not because of its aesthetic value (depending on your tastes). Apparently, this ultra-white material is so white that it actually reflects sunlight and the heat that it brings, allowing the surface and, consequently, the building to keep naturally cool, reducing the use of air conditioning machines and electricity, and saving the planet in more ways than one.

Designers: Xiulin Ruan, Purdue University Engineers

Although psychology can play an important role in the choice of colors, so can physics, especially when considering how certain colors and materials can have an effect on the light that touches and bounces off it. Black is black because it absorbs light and doesn’t reflect it back to our eyes, while white is the opposite, reflecting all the colors of the spectrum. When it comes to sunlight, however, it isn’t just light that is reflected but also heat that is sent back to the atmosphere.

This is the kind of effect that Purdue University researchers were aiming for in order to create a more sustainable way to keep surfaces, roofs, and buildings cool without having to use electrical or chemical methods. In this case, the paint’s ability to reflect sunlight is so good, up to 98.1%, that it can effectively cool down the surface it’s on by as much as 18°F (-7.8°C). This means that a building is less likely to absorb heat from sunlight, which effectively translates to savings in energy and money by reducing the need for cooling machines inside.

The whitest paint on Earth also has a second effect that could help save our planet. Because it reflects the heat coming from the sun, it can effectively offset the greenhouse effect that heats up the planet. Best of all, that waste heat doesn’t just get moved to the surface of the atmosphere but goes outside the planet and into outer space.

Purdue University researchers have created a new formula for the world’s whitest paint, making it thinner and lighter. The previous iteration (left) required a layer 0.4 millimeters thick to achieve sub-ambient radiant cooling. The new formulation can achieve similar cooling with a layer just 0.15 millimeters thick. This is thin and light enough for its radiant cooling effects to be applied to vehicles like cars, trains and airplanes. (Purdue University photo/Andrea Felicelli)

This seemingly magical super-reflective property of the world’s whitest paint is thanks to barium sulfate, the same chemical compound used in white photo paper and cosmetics. Because it scatters the light it reflects, it doesn’t blind anyone who wants to bear witness to its all-white beauty. There are still ways for the paint to be improved, especially when it comes to its quality and durability, but there seem to already be many manufacturers and industries interested in putting this innovative whitest paint that could save you money and the planet in the long run.

The post How the world’s whitest paint can keep buildings cool while also saving the planet first appeared on Yanko Design.

Glow-in-the-Dark Highway Paint for Safer Night Driving

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Australian road marking company Tarmac Linemarking teamed up with firms OmniGrip and Vic Roads to develop a new glow-in-the-dark highway paint that can be used to mark road lines that will glow after the sun goes down. How long will they glow? I’m not sure, but presumably at least a few hours. Besides, nobody should be driving after 11 PM anyways. What are you, a vampire?

The company has a test road already painted with the fluorescent thermoplastic, where it’s expected to last at least ten years before needing reapplication. That’s not bad. For reference, it would only last one winter where I live before it was all swallowed by potholes.

Is this the future of night driving? Maybe. Or maybe the future of night driving is self-driving cars. Yeah – that can fly. Self-driving flying cars, now that’s the real future of night driving. Or at least the only one I really want to be a part of.

[via Engineering Discoveries]

This intuitive wooden pen holder solves cleanup woes on messy art days and is designed to last a lifetime!

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Painting gets messy, especially when you have kids. Without regard for the new floor carpet or optic white-stained china cabinet, the whole room is their canvas when kids paint. Then there’s the dreaded clean-up of all the scattered colored pencils and paintbrushes. Setting out to create a tidy solution for those memorable, but messy paint-filled afternoons, Architect Mum, a child care accessory design studio, developed the Creative Cube, a multifunctional pen holder that can last a lifetime.

Creative Cube was inspired by Architect Mum founder Caro’s own daughter. Caro describes, “After she had painted, it was a hassle for her to tidy up the pens, too…when she was painting with water, it also happened quite often that the water glass tipped over in the creative process. I knew we needed a pen holder that would solve our problems, but I didn’t want a plastic red ladybug in our home.” Averting the tempting lure of weird, anthropomorphic plastic home accessories, Caro gave Creative Cube a wooden construction to exude a minimalist warmth and a timeless, neutral design so the product can be carried down for generations. Eighteen pen slots and a single paintbrush holder fill out the sides of Creative Cube with an additional chamber to place paint water cups stationed on the top of Creative Cube.

Manufactured in southern Germany, Creative Cube is constructed from sycamore wood and coated in linoleum for added protection. Developed to be a lifetime product, Creative Cube is doubly covered with natural linseed oil to stand the test of time and remain resistant against any potential water damage. Since wood is a natural product, Caro suggests keeping your Creative Cube out of direct sunlight to avoid any yellowing or grain fluctuations.

Designer: Architect Mum

Nine pen slots fill out each side of Creative Cube, with additional chambers for a paintbrush and water cup.

Kids can clean up their workstations with ease following paint activities and water coloring.

With an intuitive design, kids can pull their favorite colored pens from Creative Cube and put them right back when they’re done.

With wide slots, Creative Cube can hold multiple slim pencils in one holder.

Commodore 64C Beige Paint Lets You Go Crazy with a Classic Computer Color

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Back in the 1980s, computers were largely shades of beige or grey plastic. While this look might seem dated by today’s standards of slim, glass and metal devices, there’s no question that these retro color schemes immediately bring back fond memories of the early days of personal computing. Well, now it turns out that you can paint whatever you want in the color of the classic Commodore 64.

Polish company Retrohax sells this spray paint that’s aptly named “Commodore 64C Beige.” It’s actually the color of the C64C, which came out in 1986, rather than the exact color of the original 1982 C64, but it’s close enough for me. The spray paint produces a nice satin beige finish, though priming is recommended to ensure good adhesion.

Retrohax also offers classic computer paints in Atari XE/ST Grey and Amiga 500 Beige. Unfortunately, due to flight restrictions, the paint is currently only available in Poland, but its makers hope to ship it to other countries at some point. For now, maybe we can find some off-the-shelf beige paint that’s similar in color.

I think this stuff would look great on all kinds of modern devices. I’m considering painting the aluminum parts of my iMac with this, or maybe the back of my iPhone. What would you paint with this stuff?

[via CoolMaterial]

Adobe brings clipping masks and better brush management to Fresco

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Adobe has updated its Fresco drawing app with a bunch more features. There's a clipping masks tool that will allow you to capture certain parts of your drawing and move them to another layer or layer group. That way, you can continue to work on your...