Cool new solar smart windows can regulate sunlight

Today’s Video of the Day comes courtesy of the American Chemical Society’s Headline Science series and features a look at how solar smart windows can help regulate sunlight in your home.

Solar smart windows filter out intense sunlight on sunny days, and then turn clear on cloudy days. As scientists continue to refine the technology, a new edition of these high-tech windows can automatically switch between clear and opaque instantly and ultimately even power other devices.

A team of researchers from the University of Maryland at College Park designed the solar smart windows by taking a polymer matrix containing microdroplets of liquid crystal materials and an amorphous silicon layer. They then sandwiched both layers between two glass window panes. When the window is “off,” the liquid crystals scatter the light, making the window opaque.

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By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source: American Chemical Society