Selective emissivity coatings for interior temperature reduction of an enclosure

A coating for interior temperature reduction of a space enclosed by structural elements and adapted to coat said structural elements, said coating, comprising a selective emissivity material characterized by a high thermal emissivity level substantially equal to one for radiation in the 8-13 .mu.m wavelength region, and by a low thermal emissivity level substantially equal to zero for radiation in near infrared spectra, said material responsive to heat energy radiated from said enclosed space to radiate energy in the 8-13 .mu.m spectral region for providing radiative cooling of said enclosed space.

An apparatus for reducing the solar heat load inside a vehicle, the vehicle having an interior and an exterior, comprising:

• a window element said element having an exterior side facing outside the automobile and an interior side;
• and
• a coating applied to said window element for reducing the solar heat load of the interior of the vehicle, said coating comprising a selective emissivity material characterized by its transparency in the visible light spectrum and a high emissivity level substantially equal to one in the far infrared wavelength spectrum between 8-13 .mu.m and in the visible spectrum, and a low emissivity substantially equal to zero outside said far infrared spectrum between 8-13 .mu.m and said visible spectrum, wherein said selective high emissivity material serves to radiate the far infrared energy between 8-13 .mu.m emitted by the automobile away through the atmosphere to outer space, thereby providing a means for radiative cooling of the interior of the automobile.