Glass is becoming a thing of the past, scientists have created a new revolutionary material with a cooling function (video)
The new material is capable of lowering the temperature in a room and looks like glass, and has high energy efficiency.
Researchers have developed an innovative polymer-based metamaterial with unique characteristics. This material is transparent and transmits a significant amount of sunlight, while ensuring privacy indoors. This is reported by Interesting Engineering.
Moreover, it is able to cool the room even at extremely high temperatures. Scientists believe that using this material as a replacement for glass for walls and roofs can significantly reduce energy costs. Detailed results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Glass elements in the walls and roofs of buildings help to increase natural light during the day, which reduces energy consumption. However, they can also create glare that causes discomfort for the people inside, reduce privacy, and lead to overheating.
Glass requires regular cleaning, which is an additional inconvenience. The developers of the new material claim that their innovation solves these problems and can become a worthy replacement for glass in buildings. The use of this material can significantly reduce energy costs.
Scientists have developed a multifunctional microphotonic metamaterial (PMMM) made of a polymer with a surface covered with microscopic silicone pyramids. The size of these pyramids is only 10 micrometers, which is about ten times less than the thickness of a human hair. This structure allows PMMM to effectively diffuse light, self-clean, cool the room, and maintain high transparency.
Glass allows you to save energy by letting a lot of sunlight into the room, but at the same time retains heat, which leads to an increase in temperature inside.
The new material, despite its high transparency, does not retain heat inside the room. The PMMM emits heat in the form of long-wave infrared radiation, which helps to keep the room cool even on the hottest days.
Microscopic pyramids on the surface of the new material ensure its self-cleaning. When water hits the surface, it collects in droplets and rolls down, taking dirt and dust with it.
