Researchers from the University of Austin have developed a new process for making "smart tinting" plastic that could help save on heating and cooling bills. The material is designed to change its tint when an electric current is applied, and is flexible enough to be applied over windows of any shape and size. Paired with a sunlight sensor, you could easily get Transitions for your whole house. Their findings will be published in the September issue of Nature Materials.

The new material is electrochromic, which means it can change color when electricity is applied to it. Similarly to other "smart" windows, this material can lighten or darken to adapt to changing light conditions and save money on heating or cooling.

Other types of electrochromic plastic do exist, but are very bulky and require high temperatures to manufacture. This new process produces a thin, flexible material without resorting to high temperatures. The new material is also twice as energy-efficient.

The result is a flexible, low-cost plastic sheet that can be applied to any window or any surface, no matter what the shape of the surface is. These sheets can then control the amount of sunlight entering the building, keeping rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Source: ScienceDaily

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