Zinc ferrite pigments have emerged as potential candidates
for
enabling technology for large-scale energy-saving applications, which
are safer, more accessible, and less damaging to the environment when
compared to similar rare-earth-based colorants. Introducing transition
metals into the ZnFe2O4 host lattice may distort
the normally ordered lattice. A mineralizer was employed to further
tune the color and infrared (IR)-reflective properties. NaCl lowered
the crystallization temperature of the spinel zinc ferrite phase owing
to its facilitation of ionic diffusion in solid-state reactions. Using
a mineralizer promoted the generation of regular pigment particles
to further enhance the optical property, leading to a low-cost, effective
green strategy for heat mitigation. The acrylic coating of the pigment
over the concrete substrate demonstrated good color consistency and
near infrared (NIR) reflectivity (temperature shielding character).
The surface temperature difference between the coated and uncoated
acrylic binder-based mineralizer-added zinc ferrite was 16.4 °C.
Since the synthesized zinc ferrite-based pigments have chemical stability
and good NIR reflectivity and color characteristics, they have potential
application for exterior energy-saving coatings.