Researchers have discovered a way to make glass that is not only glare-free, but is also anti-fogging and can clean itself.
The glass is created by depositing thin layers of material on the surface of the glass and then selectively etching that material away. The end result creates tiny cones on the glass taller than they are wide that allow the glass to prevent reflections and also repel water.
The technology was developed by researchers at MIT, who hope the technology will eventually be used in things like your smartphone or television, or possibly even the windows of your car or office building.
They also hope to use the technology in solar panels. Solar panels lose much of their efficiency as they start to become dirty. The glass would work better because it is self-cleaning and wouldn’t accumulate dust and dirt like other alternatives. The glass would also offer an advantage for its anti-glare properties, allowing more light to be transferred through its surface rather than being reflected away. The glass also repels water better than glass currently used to build solar panels.
This special glass would be exceptionally useful in other devices such as cellphones, allowing you to see the screen even in bright conditions and resisting contamination by sweat while you’re chatting or using your phone’s touchscreen.
What do you think of this new type of glass? Can you think of any other devices that could benefit from a self-cleaning, anti-glare and anti-fog glass? Let us know in the comments.
[via MIT News]
More About: glass, mit
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