'Smart Window' controls the light and heat inside the building

Researchers from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a "smart window" technology that allows light to enter while the heat is stopped, or vice versa.

US develops "smart windows"

Two years ago, Delia Milliron and her team created a " smart" coating for glass with visible light blocking, both near infrared (NIR) or both. By injecting indium tin oxide (ITO) into the nanoscale of glass, which has been blended with niobium oxide, the team has created a material that can transmit or block light depending on the effect. applied voltage.

The team's previous advances led to the creation of an electrochromic material , which allows light to pass through while still blocking the heat (cool mode) and vice versa, preventing light from appearing. heat input (warm mode). The new material allows NIR light control up to 90% and 80% for visible light. According to experts, the transition between modes only takes a few minutes instead of hours as before. Given the feasibility of this technology, it will only be a matter of time before it is applied to commercial products.

The illustration shows that the Dark, Light and Cool modes can be deployed by researchers thanks to the new material. To

To put the new material into practice, the researchers created a spongy interwoven structure. This design can support electronic and ionic change, thereby allowing for selective blocking of light at different voltages. At the same time, Milliron and his associates are actively working towards lower cost production methods.

Previously, in order to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, academics have sought to develop window styles that can regulate more or less light, thereby increasing heat transfer. cold, and decreasing in hot weather. However, the weaknesses of these methods are that they tend to interfere with the transmission of visible light.