Recently, researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new golden nano coat that heats glass up to 46F by absorbing a large amount of infrared radiation. This keeps the glasses free of fog during humid conditions and highlights preventing condensation from even starting as opposed to conventional approaches of spreading water around with hydrophilic molecules.
The coating is only 10nm thick and rests between layers of titanium oxide in order to elevate the heading effect through the use of refraction and protects the gold against any wear and tear. Notably, the design also ensures that it will not overheat in warm weather conditions as it is able to prevent any radiation from reaching the other side.
Image Credit: ETH Zurich
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Nano-thin Gold Coatings
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in materials science and development of advanced coatings for various applications.
- Infrared Radiation Absorbing Technology
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in energy efficiency and thermal management applications.
- Hydrophilic Surface Alternatives
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in surface science and development of coatings that repel water for various applications.
Sectors Adopting This
- Glass Manufacturing
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of fog-free glass for various applications such as automotive, architecture, and eyewear.
- Thermal Management
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of materials and coatings for efficient heat transfer in various applications such as electronics.
- Surface Coatings
- Opportunity for disruptive innovation in the development of coatings that repel water for various applications such as textiles, construction, and medical devices.
