Science

A touch of silver lets smart windows go from clear to translucent

A touch of silver lets smart windows go from clear to translucent
The technology uses silver nanowires to change the opacity of normal-looking windows
The technology uses silver nanowires to change the opacity of normal-looking windows
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The technology uses silver nanowires to change the opacity of normal-looking windows
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The technology uses silver nanowires to change the opacity of normal-looking windows

Imagine if instead of installing curtains or blinds, you could simply adjust the opacity of the glass in your windows. Not only would this allow you to vary the amount of privacy they provided, but it would also let you determine how much sunlight got through, keeping rooms from overheating during the day yet still letting light in later on. Well, that's how the various types of smart windows work. Researchers at Harvard University have now developed one of their own, which they say is simpler and cheaper than what's come before.

Generally speaking, smart windows rely on electrochemical reactions in order to change transparency. This can make for an expensive manufacturing process, along with the use of sometimes-toxic substances.

The Harvard technology is different. It incorporates a sheet of regular glass or plastic, sandwiched between two clear elastomer layers that have been sprayed with silver nanowires. Those wires are small enough that they don't affect light transmission on their own.

However, when an electrical current is applied (simply by flicking a switch), the nanowires on either side of the glass are drawn towards one another. This causes them to compress the elastomer layers, distorting them in the process. As a result, the window goes from being completely clear to taking on a cloudy frosted-glass appearance.

The whole process takes less than a second. Additionally, it's possible to tweak how opaque the window gets, simply by varying the amount of voltage applied.

"Because this is a physical phenomenon rather than based on a chemical reaction, it is a simpler and potentially cheaper way to achieve commercial tunable windows," says Prof. David Clarke, who led the research along with postdoctoral fellow Samuel Shian.

Source: Harvard University

3 comments
3 comments
Jimjam
The only problem is that you can no longer see out from the inside of the building.
Mirror glass allows occupants to see out, but cuts the amount of light coming in, dimming the outside image. Plus at night when the brighter light sources are on the inside people outside can see in.
I don't know if it is possible, but could you create a glass surface that only reflects light from extremely acute angles, and then stick LED lighting around the edge of the window frame, much like how e-readers now come with LED side lighting?
Future3000
Oh Muricans... how innovative! You can BUY this since 1995 in the Netherlands and Germany, availiable in black, opak and chrome, full dimable... we used this first at Maybachs.... please make patent researches BEFORE you waste "University" money. Please save your money for your education! @ Jimjam: check german patents 2009/2010 (and later EU and US I think), there is that what you want!
Kevin
Oh Future3000...How about you read the article before making dumb comments. It isn't the end product that makes this innovative..it is the method used to do so which lowers the cost. SPD (Suspended particle device) smart glass is not the same as this.