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Comment by a1371 | Hacker News Reader

Since the last video I have been seriously thinking about making these powders as a hobby. The problem is that I want to mix them with some paint or resin to get a more permanent application. I know this needs some research but any ideas about where to start?

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Even if they work, I would question long-term stability. Would the panel still be productive after a year in the sun/rain/snow?

A challenge is finding a resin that doesn't re-absorb the IR, which most materials do, even fairly thin layers.

Watch the video.

He makes something like that with acetone dissolved acrylic. It would be interesting to see what happens if you dispersed the microsphere material in a commercial paint. I think it would work?

He specifically engineered his particles to be as densely packed as possible. I assume the pigments in commercial paint would limit the cooling capacity. Probably that's why he went with a clear acrylic base (with bubbles to make it reflective).

Golden Paints has a variety of acrylic mediums with various characteristics, so I'd start there.

https://www.goldenpaints.com/products/medium-gels-pastes/spe...

https://www.goldenpaints.com/products

As others mentioned the nighthawk guy has solved most of these problems, but what I do think he needs help with is improving the application. Currently his best method is just squeezing it out of a syringe.

Best possible outcome would be something that can be sprayed and something that can be rolled on or applied with a paintbrush.

I thought it was odd that he got good coverage spraying with a hand sprayer bottle but then went through the effort of squeezing it out of a large syringe.

Watch the video? He makes just such a thing.

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