Solar Heat Reflecting Coatings

Tests conducted at the U. S. Army Coating and Chemical Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, indicate that some pigments are better than others in reducing heat build-up on painted surfaces from solar radiation. Special tests were also conducted to check the application of paint on automobile surfaces, using 12 automotive finishes found on 1969 models. Results reveal that both light and dark colored paints can be formulated to reduce solar radiation heat build-up without impairing the durability of the finish or adding to production costs.