i2Cool, a technology company specialising in electricity-free cooling solutions, has launched i2Coating CorroCool, a new functional coating designed to protect industrial metal surfaces from both excessive heat and corrosion.
Developed with technical support from Kinte Materials Science and Technology Co, CorroCool combines i2Cool's passive radiative cooling materials with a high-solids silane polymer system.
The result is an integrated coating that delivers cooling, corrosion protection and weather resistance without requiring electricity, water or mechanical cooling equipment.
The product is intended for metal roofs, petrochemical storage tanks, outdoor electrical equipment, telecommunications cabinets and other metal infrastructure exposed to intense sunlight or corrosive environments.
Industrial metal assets often face two interconnected challenges.
Under direct summer sunlight, the surface temperature of metal roofs, storage tanks and outdoor cabinets can reach approximately 60–80°C.
Because metal conducts heat efficiently, this heat can quickly transfer into buildings, stored materials or sensitive equipment, increasing cooling demand, accelerating component ageing and affecting operational stability.
At the same time, exposure to moisture, salt spray, chemicals and airborne pollutants can lead to corrosion, particularly in coastal areas, chemical facilities and other high-corrosivity environments.
Conventional corrosion-resistant coatings primarily act as protective barriers but do not actively manage solar heat. Thermal-control coatings, meanwhile, may not provide the level of corrosion protection required for demanding industrial applications.
CorroCool was developed to address both issues within one coating system.
Metal surfaces contain microscopic irregularities, chemically active areas and potential defects. Effective protection therefore depends on how well a coating wets, penetrates and bonds to the substrate, as well as its ability to block the movement of oxygen, water and ions.
CorroCool uses a high-solids silane polymer as its primary film-forming material. During curing, silane groups hydrolyse to form silanol groups, which react with hydroxyl groups on the metal surface and create strong Si–O–metal bonds.
This molecular-level bonding helps anchor the coating to the substrate. Condensation between silane molecules also forms a dense three-dimensional network, creating a physical barrier against moisture and corrosive substances.
The cooling mechanism incorporated into CorroCool is inspired by the Sahara silver ant, whose microscopic hair structure helps it survive extreme desert heat by reflecting sunlight and emitting body heat as mid-infrared radiation.
i2Cool's passive radiative cooling technology applies a similar principle to engineered materials. CorroCool provides two complementary thermal functions:
- High solar reflectance: Solar reflectance of at least 92% helps prevent a large proportion of incident solar energy from being absorbed by the metal surface.
- High thermal emittance: Emittance of at least 95% within the 8–13 μm atmospheric window allows heat to be released as mid-infrared radiation toward the cold outer atmosphere.
By simultaneously reducing solar heat absorption and enhancing thermal emission, CorroCool can continuously cool coated surfaces without consuming electricity.
For industrial facilities, this can help reduce surface and internal temperatures, lower cooling loads and limit temperature-related losses, including the evaporation of volatile materials from storage tanks.
CorroCool has been engineered for high-corrosivity and outdoor industrial conditions.
These properties make the coating suitable for coastal infrastructure, petrochemical facilities, power equipment, industrial buildings and arid environments with high solar exposure.
The product also features a primer-and-topcoat integrated design. This reduces the need for separate anticorrosive primer and thermal-control topcoat systems, helping simplify application and shorten project schedules.
Key application areas include metal-roofed industrial buildings, petrochemical storage tanks, outdoor telecommunications and electrical cabinets, industrial metal protection.
Designed for efficient field execution, CorroCool features a primer-and-topcoat integrated formulation that simplifies surface preparation and coating application.
CorroCool marks an expansion of passive radiative cooling technology from conventional building-energy applications into industrial asset protection.
The product was developed through the integration of i2Cool's electricity-free cooling materials with established industrial coating expertise.