Smart material that controls heat and light from sun

Delia Milliron from the University of Texas, have developed a material that can control transmission of heat producing radiation.

Power is expensive everywhere. Adding to that are various other components that make up majority of the average bill. The good news is that researchers from the University of Texas are working on a flexible smart material that can control transmission of heat producing radiation.

Delia Milliron and her colleagues from the University of Texas, Austin, generated a material at a low temperature process with a unique nano structure, which doubles the efficiency of the coloration process. In other words, it can switch between clear and tinted more clearly through the use of less power.

This smart material, which is charged with about four volts, can easily lighten or darken its nature and can control the transmission of heat producing, near-infrared radiation.

The new process yields a unique local arrangement of the atoms in a linear, chain-like structure. Whereas, conventional amorphous materials produced at high temperature have a denser three-dimensional bonded structure. This allows ions to flow in and out more freely. As a result, it is twice as energy efficient as the conventionally processed smart window material.

(This story originally appeared on Deccan Chronicle)