Previous in Forum: “Force Majeure”, During Warranty Period   Next in Forum: Densitometer
Close

Comments Format:






Change Mode
Close

Subscribe to Discussion:

CR4 allows you to "subscribe" to a discussion
so that you can be notified of new comments to
the discussion via email.

Close

Rating Vote:







Add Vote
19 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2

High Material Reflection

09/15/2010 8:57 AM

I am looking for a surface preparation that will give the highest possible reflection of natural light. My surface will be either acrylic or fiberglass. I have found some paints that reflect light and are used in road signs. That is not my application, but the result is the same. The surface preparation should also have a long life( 10 -20 years).

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#1

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 9:12 AM

Pure white paint that uses titanium dioxide has an extremely high reflectivity; better than 92%.

The photometric 'standard' for diffuse reflectivity has long been pressed barium sulfate powder. Its diffuse reflectivity is better than 98%. You can make a 'paint' with it by mixing it in alcohol. I think Edmund optics sells a kit for making a barium sulfate spray. I don't think it has good environmental weathering properties though (it is soft) so you'd need to protect it somehow.

Gore sells sheets of matte white teflon that has a reflectivity of better than 98%. It's very environmentally stable, but you'd need to stick it down somehow. You might be able to find a pressure-sensitive film that would work.

You can mix tiny glass beads into a paint to create a reflectivity like a road sign.

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#2
In reply to #1

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 9:34 AM

Darn, you are fast. I have no knowledge of Gore. Can you give me more information on them so I can research the Teflon option please.

I have been reading, getting information from and commenting on issues in CR4 for several months and I cannot say enough about the people who offer their expertise so willingly. Thank you very much.

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
2
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#8
In reply to #2

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 2:26 PM

It's available in different thicknesses. You might be able to get a sample that has the PSA already attached to one side. Here's the link.

http://www.gore.com/en_xx/products/electronic/specialty/light-reflective_material_for_electronic_visual_displays.html

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 2)
No more Good Answers. Go to first "Almost" Good Answer
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#9
In reply to #8

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 7:43 PM

OMG, Gore's Diffuse Reflective Material may turn out to be a God sent. This appears to be exactly what I have been looking for! I am on a roll here y'all. As soon as I file my patent application I will post my 'innovation' on CR4 for all of you to see. Maybe I should wait to see how it performs before I make any claims, eh? Don't want to make a fool of myself in front of all of you.

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#10
In reply to #9

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 9:55 PM

Gee, ya think maybe it was worth a 'good answer' rating? (hint hint)

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#11
In reply to #10

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 11:01 PM

you betcha

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
cwarner7_11
Guru
Panama - Member - New Member Hobbies - CNC - New Member Engineering Fields - Marine Engineering - New Member Engineering Fields - Retired Engineers / Mentors - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Panama
Posts: 4273
Good Answers: 213
#12
In reply to #9

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 11:19 PM

"Don't want to make a fool of myself in front of all of you."

Why would you want to distinguish yourself in this august body by NOT making a fool of yourself? We all achieve that exalted status at one time or another...
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
PWSlack
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#3

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 9:46 AM

Coat the back of the surface with silver and call it a mirror, perhaps?

__________________
 "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
Register to Reply
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#4
In reply to #3

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 10:08 AM

Is there such a thing as a silver paint that does the job? Will that make it 100% reflective? Or will the acrylic that is being used just absorb some of the radiant energy and make the net result less than 100%?

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
PWSlack
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Indeterminate Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: In the bothy, 7 chains down the line from Dodman's Lane level crossing, in the nation formerly known as Great Britain. Kettle's on.
Posts: 32175
Good Answers: 839
#5
In reply to #4

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 10:18 AM

Nothing is 100% reflective. If it were, one wouldn't be able to see it.

__________________
 "Did you get my e-mail?" - "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place" - George Bernard Shaw, 1856
Register to Reply
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#6
In reply to #5

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 10:33 AM

As it is we don't see mirrors in the first place, we see whatever they are reflecting. The better the mirror the more clarity in the reflection. The glass will absorb heat, it is the silver that does not. The glass being much more refractive than reflective will absorb some radiant energy. The silver backing should not even get warm except from convection.

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
Yahlasit
Guru

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Cd. Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.
Posts: 1023
Good Answers: 69
#7
In reply to #6

Re: high material reflection

09/15/2010 11:25 AM

Silver oxidizes black real fast, try chrome plating.

Yahlasit

__________________
 No hay conocimiento ni herramienta que sustituya al sentido comun.
Register to Reply
Anonymous Poster
#15
In reply to #4

Re: high material reflection

09/16/2010 8:16 AM

Check Alsa paint for an alternative.
Register to Reply
Mohamed Wahab
Associate

Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 37
Good Answers: 3
#13

Re: High Material Reflection

09/16/2010 3:36 AM

if you are interested to reflect UV rays use paint with zinc oxide as pigment. Zinc oxide is the best reflecting uv.
Register to Reply
Randall
Guru

Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Hemel Hempstead, UK
Posts: 5826
Good Answers: 322
#14

Re: High Material Reflection

09/16/2010 6:45 AM

Are these earlier discussions any use:-

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/58683

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/35459/Best-Reflective-Material-for-Solar-Trough

__________________
 If you spend all your time looking for people and things to complain about: trust me, you will find plenty to complain about.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
No more "Almost" Good Answers.
jt
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 719
Good Answers: 25
#16

Re: High Material Reflection

09/16/2010 2:34 PM

It is some 20 years since I used it but one can get a very highly reflective
plastic mirror "foil." It is so good, I used it to make "all shapes" and backing mirrors.

Mirrors in the bath / shower room, distortion mirrors, like fairgrounds, etc.
It had a self adhesive backing which even stuck to plaster walls.

I am sure if you contact (or google) e.g. the printing industry, for reflective
and decorative films, some thing will show up to suit your needs. (so many.)
A really advantage it is virtually impervious to water, and mechanically strong.

Good luck with your search.

jt.

Before you part with this... try and find something better.
Register to Reply
RobertOz
Power-User
Australia - Member - New Member

Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 267
Good Answers: 22
#19
In reply to #16

Re: High Material Reflection

06/11/2013 2:36 AM

I think the stuff you mean is "Aluminised Mylar" (or "Aluminized Mylar" if you're from the US). You can still get it - it's pretty cheap and has better than 98% reflectivity (depending on brand etc no doubt).
Register to Reply
raggededgge
Associate

Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 31
#17

Re: High Material Reflection

09/16/2010 11:00 PM

I believe you are looking for Barium it comes in different forms "google barium reflectivity" we use a powdered form mixed with paint for calibrating optics

good luck
Register to Reply
Michael Rock
Power-User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 190
Good Answers: 2
#18
In reply to #17

Re: High Material Reflection

09/17/2010 5:54 AM

Ok, paint and Barium. Flat white, high gloss? Barium, 2 lbs to the gallon or 1 oz? Could you be more specific?

__________________
 The time has come the Walrus said to speak of many things, of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings.
Register to Reply
Register to Reply
Have a Different Question?
19 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

Anonymous Poster (1); cwarner7_11 (1); jt (1); Michael Rock (6); Mohamed Wahab (1); PWSlack (2); raggededgge (1); Randall (1); RobertOz (1); Usbport (3); Yahlasit (1)

Previous in Forum: “Force Majeure”, During Warranty Period   Next in Forum: Densitometer

Advertisement

Got Something to Say?
Ask a Question
Start a Discussion

Search this Forum
General Discussion:
Go

CR4 Sections
Aerospace
BioMech & BioMed
Chemical & Material Science
Civil Engineering
Communications & Electronics
Education and Engineering Careers
Electrical Engineering
General Discussion
Instrumentation
Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
New Technologies & Research
Software & Programming
Sustainable Engineering
Transportation

Site Directories
Forum Directory
Blog Directory
User Group Directory
RSS Feeds

CR4 Rules of Conduct
CR4 FAQ
Site Glossary

Who's Online (80 right now)
Show Members
Advertisement