About half of the sun's energy reaching the ground is near-infrared light that we cannot see. Conventional black and dark pigments, especially carbon black, absorb it and turn it into heat. Dark profiles, decking, roofing sheets and garden furniture can run far hotter than light-coloured ones.
Same colour, less heat
IR-reflective formulations replace carbon black and other IR-absorbing pigments with pigments that look dark to the eye but reflect much of the near-infrared. The visible shade can be matched closely while the surface absorbs less solar heat.
Where it helps
- Window and door profiles and wood-plastic decking, where heat causes warping and expansion
- Roofing and cladding sheets, where lower surface temperatures reduce heat into the building
- Outdoor furniture and automotive interior parts that people touch
What to measure
Ask for total solar reflectance or heat build-up data on plaques of your polymer at the intended thickness, measured against your current colour. Results depend on part thickness and on the substrate or white backing behind thin layers.
Flychem supplies IR-reflective cool colours as FLYCOOL grades within the FLYBATCH range, marked with the suffix -IR.
