SBIR Phase I: Novel Thermochromic Roofing Materials with Excellent Weatherability

这个小企业创新研究的第一阶段项目将把热致变色颜料纳入无机涂料中，作为屋顶瓦颗粒上彩色粘土涂料的替代品。这种新型无机涂层在低温下变暗，在高温下变亮，在冬季吸收太阳热量，在夏季反射太阳辐射，从而提高建筑物的能源效率。热致变色屋面材料具有抗紫外线辐射和抗化学降解的特点。这种热致变色涂料也可以作为耐用的热致变色涂料用于现有的低坡度屋顶。在第一阶段和第二阶段，Sommer材料研究公司将展示热致变色材料作为颗粒涂层的稳定性。研究了热致变色涂层的力学性能、紫外线稳定性、化学稳定性和耐候性。各种测试将在不同的气候区进行，以测试材料的耐久性，从温和到恶劣的天气条件。Sommer Materials将与商业瓦板制造商合作，将无机涂料纳入其瓦板产品。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将集中在通过使用这些新型的热致变色涂料，平均每年减少30%的建筑物和家庭的供暖和制冷需求。建筑消耗了世界上近40%的能源。全球发展中国家对空调系统的需求急剧上升，能源需求也显著增加。世界上超过50%的人口生活在城市地区，而且这一比例正在大幅增加，从而在城市中产生了“热岛”效应，城市的白天温度比偏远农村地区高2-5摄氏度。在建筑物上使用热致变色屋顶将通过减少夏季制冷的能源消耗和改善城市空气质量来帮助缓解这些夏季热岛。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will incorporate thermochromic pigments into inorganic coatings to be used as a replacement for colored clay-coatings on roofing shingle granules. This novel inorganic coating will turn dark in low temperatures and light at higher temperatures, to absorb solar heat in the winter and reflect solar radiation in the summer, thereby increasing the energy efficiencies of buildings. The thermochromic roofing materials will be resistant to UV radiation and chemical degradation. The thermochromic coating can also be used as durable thermochromic paint for existing low-slope roofs. In Phases I and II, Sommer Materials Research, Inc. will demonstrate the stability of the thermochromic material as a granule coating. Mechanical properties, UV stability, chemical stability and weatherability of the thermochromic coating will be investigated. Various tests will be done in different climate zones to test the durability of the material ranging from mild to severe weather conditions. Sommer Materials will collaborate with commercial shingle manufacturers to incorporate the inorganic coatings on their shingle products. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be focused on reducing heating and cooling needs of buildings and homes by 30% average annually by using these novel thermochromic coatings. Buildings consume almost 40% of the energy of the world. The global demand for air conditioning systems have skyrocketed in developing countries world-wide and significantly increased energy demands. Over 50% of the world's population lives in urban areas and the percentage is substantially increasing, thus creating the "heat-island" effect in cities, with daytime temperatures in cities 2-5oC higher than in the outlying rural areas. Using thermochromic roofs on buildings would help mitigate these summer heat islands by reducing energy consumption for summer cooling and by improving urban air quality.