IR Reflective LaPO Ceramic Colorant Reinforced Polymer Composite Coatings on Glass and Metal Substrates for Heat Management Applications.

LaPO ceramic colorants were processed in the vibrant shades of green and brick red, and subsequently embedded in polymer resins for the fabrication of heat management coatings. The IR/UV shielding characteristics of these ceramic colorants and polymer coatings were analysed and it was found that the ceramic dispersoids enhance the IR reflectance quality of polymer resins by 20 to 25 times. The nano ceramic green colorant-reinforced polymer coating on glass panels offers the stringent property, i. e., optical transparency and heat reflectance combined, when exposed to direct sunlight. Other photophysical properties were also studied and analysed. The brick red colorant entrenched resin coating on metal substrate offered heat reflectance and corrosion resistance characteristics. XPS studies provided the chemical environment of the systems. Surface morphology, crystallinity and particle size of the products were investigated using SEM, TEM, XRD and DLS techniques. The polymer resin coating of these ceramic colorants offers thermal stability and colorfastness properties.