SBIR Phase I: Novel Thermochromic Roofing Materials with Excellent Weatherability

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将在无机涂料中加入热致变色颜料，以取代屋面瓦片颗粒上的彩色粘土涂料。这种新型的无机涂料在低温下会变暗，在高温下会变亮，在冬天吸收太阳热，在夏天反射太阳辐射，从而提高建筑的能源效率。热致变色屋面材料将耐紫外线辐射和化学降解。该热致变色涂料还可用作现有低坡屋顶的耐用热致变色涂料。在第一和第二阶段，索默材料研究公司将展示作为颗粒涂层的热致变色材料的稳定性。将对热致变色涂层的机械性能、紫外线稳定性、化学稳定性和耐候性进行研究。将在不同的气候区域进行各种测试，以测试这种材料的耐久性，范围从温和的天气到恶劣的天气。索默材料公司将与商业瓦片制造商合作，在他们的瓦片产品上加入无机涂料。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将集中在通过使用这些新型热致变色涂料，将建筑物和住宅的供暖和制冷需求平均每年减少30%。建筑物消耗的能源几乎占世界的40%。全球对空调系统的需求在世界范围内的发展中国家激增，能源需求显著增加。超过50%的世界人口生活在城市地区，而且这一比例还在大幅增加，从而在城市产生了“热岛”效应，城市的白天温度比偏远的农村地区高出2-5摄氏度。在建筑物上使用热色屋顶，通过减少夏季降温的能源消耗和改善城市空气质量，将有助于缓解这些夏季热岛。

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.