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Photo Credit: Chroma Color

Chroma Color is now offering manufacturers of exterior products customized color formulations that reduce Total Solar Reflectance (TSR)—a technology that minimizes the heat build-up on the surface of dark colored plastic products. TSR is expressed as a percentage between 0 and 100%. These rates indicate a products ability to reflect solar energy. With years of experience in providing processors with infrared-reflecting color concentrates for exterior durable goods that must withstand elements for an extended period, the company is  now even better equipped with in-house analytical capabilities.

To ensure a processor’s color concentrates meet the criteria for reducing heat build-up on dark plastics, Chroma’s technical team uses the ASTM D-4803-97 method to measure the temperature increase. This testing provides useful comparative data on heat build-up of various polymers and color formulations. Carbon black plastic color typically has the highest rating of heat buildup. Therefore, this ASTM test method compares the heat buildup of a customer’s chosen color against a carbon black plastic control sample.