# Development of Effective Infrared Reflective Coatings
## 4 Conclusions  
The paper discusses the elaboration of different coatings with infrared reflectivity in order to reduce surface temperature, decrease energy consumption, and increase material lifespan. All the ingredients were mixed into a two-component, acrylate-isocyanate resin. RAL7016 Anthracite grey was selected as a color as it is often applied to vehicles and buildings, but it is not infrared reflective. In our coatings, the pigments that produced the same color were either organic or inorganic in origin. Six different coatings (either infrared reflective or infrared transparent) were developed and investigated, either on white or on black primers, and were characterized using colorimetric and brightness values, refractive parameters (in the UV, visible, and infrared wavelength range, focusing on total solar reflectance and infrared solar reflectance), and by measuring the decrease in the surface temperature generated by the coatings and recorded via a heat camera. In all cases, a traditional, but not infrared, reflective coating was the control.  
The experimental results proved: The chromatic parameters did not depend significantly on the primer. Two of the coatings (S84/CR28/Lacquer and S84/A80) showed high brightness. Their pigments differ in the TiO\({}_{2}\) crystal form.  
Significant differences in the refractive values measured between the 335 nm and 2500 nm wavelength range are only in the infrared range. In some cases, there are differences caused by the primer. Very good infrared reflecting properties were measured on samples S84/CR28 and S84/CR28/Lacquer; their composition was similar, different only in pigment concentration. The S84/A80 coating produced similarly good infrared reflecting results, but this coating was opaque.  
Analyzing the total solar reflectance and the infrared solar reflectance parameters measured on all coating samples, high values were achieved by samples S84/CR28 (TSR: 48.2%; IR-SR: 76.6%) and S84/CR28/Lacquer (TSR: 47.7%; IR-SR: 75.9%) on white primer; on the other hand, these coatings were less effective on black primer. The worst results were produced by the traditional coating (TSR: 7.3%, IR-SR: 6.3%). Though the S84/A80 coating showed similarly good results compare to the S84/CR28/Lacquer, it contained a special infrared transparent binder, and its production process is much more difficult.  
High heat reflecting properties were measured on those coatings that gave the best results in the previously mentioned tests: S84/CR28, S84/CR28/Lacquer and S84/A80. A high temperature decrease of 11 \({}^{\circ}\)C was achieved on the coated surfaces, a remarkable savings in energy consumption.  
Conceptualization, J.M.; Validation, A.-E.B.; Formal analysis, L.T.; Writing--original draft, J.T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research had no funding.  
Not applicable.  
**Informed Consent Statement:** Written informed consent has been obtained from the patients to publish the paper.  
**Data Availability Statement:** The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.  
**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.