Low solar absorptance, high emissivity, inorganic electrostatic dissipative thermal control coating

1. An electrostatic dissipative paint comprising:

a plurality of particles consisting essentially of a composition selected from the group consisting of gallium magnesium oxide, gallium aluminum magnesium oxide and combinations thereof; and

an inorganic binder mixed with the particles to form a mixture;

wherein the paint is electrically conductive; and

wherein the gallium magnesium oxide or gallium aluminum magnesium oxide is electrically conductive and represented by the formula Ga (2+x+y) Al y MgO 4−δ wherein x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.10, and 6 is greater than or equal to 0.0001 and less than or equal to 0.01.

2. The paint of claim 1 , wherein the pigment consists essentially of a composition having the following structure:

(Ga (z+x) MgO 4−δ );

wherein the value of x is a value from 0 to about 0.1 and the value of δ is from about 0.01 to 0.0001.

3. The paint of claim 1 , wherein the binder is potassium silicate.

4. An electrostatic dissipative coating system comprising:

a plurality of particles consisting essentially of a composition selected from the group consisting of gallium magnesium oxide, gallium aluminum magnesium oxide and combinations thereof; and

a cured inorganic binder having the particles incorporated therein;

wherein the cured inorganic binder having the particles incorporated therein is electrically conductive; and

wherein the gallium magnesium oxide or gallium aluminum magnesium oxide is electrically conductive and represented by the formula Ga (2+x+y) Al y MgO 4−δ wherein x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.10, and δ is greater than or equal to 0.0001 and less than or equal to 0.01.

5. The coating system of claim 4 , wherein the pigment comprises a composition having the following structure:

(Ga (z+x) MgO 4−δ );

wherein the value of x is a value from 0 to about 0.1 and the value of δ is from about 0.01 to 0.0001.

6. The coating system of claim 4 , wherein the binder is potassium silicate.

7. The coating system of claim 4 , wherein the coating system further includes the cured inorganic binder disposed on a substrate.

8. The coating system of claim 7 , wherein the substrate includes a spacecraft component.

9. The coating system of claim 8 , wherein the spacecraft component includes a satellite.

10. A method for making a thermal paint comprising:

providing gallium oxide powder;

providing a magnesium oxide powder;

mixing the gallium oxide powder and the magnesium oxide powder;

calcining the mixture at 1100° C. for a sufficient time to produce a pigment having a spinel structure;

optionally annealing the calcined powder at 800° C. in an atmosphere of 10 vol % hydrogen with balance argon; and

incorporating the pigment into a binder to form a paint;

wherein the paint consists essentially of the pigment and the binder; and

wherein the paint is electrically conductive; and

wherein the gallium magnesium oxide or gallium aluminum magnesium oxide is electrically conductive and represented by the formula Ga (2+x+y) Al y MgO 4−δ wherein x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.1, y is greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 0.10, and δ is greater than or equal to 0.0001 and less than or equal to 0.01.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the pigment consists essentially of a composition having the following structure:

(Ga (z+x) MgO 4−δ );

wherein the value of x is a value from greater than 0 to about 0.1 and the value of δ is from about 0.01 to 0.0001.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the binder is potassium silicate.