A new smart material adjusts its transparency with changes in temperature, outperforming similar materials as to durability, transparency, and responsiveness. The polymer blend could significantly enhance energy efficiency for indoor space cooling. It can make a window become less transparent as the day gets warmer, keeping interiors cool without consuming energy. The material was synthesized by mixing two polymers with a type of salt and worked on optimizing the composition to achieve smooth transitions between transparent and opaque states with temperature fluctuations. The new thermochromic blend is not only highly effective in regulating solar radiation but also remarkably durable with an estimated lifespan of 60 years.
news.rice.edu/news/2024/thermochromic-material-could-make-indoor-temperature-control-more-energy-efficient#:~:text=Rice%20University%20researchers%20have%20developed,of%20durability%2C%20transparency%20and%20responsiveness.