The days of using glass for roofs and walls could be numbered: German researchers say they've developed a material that not only allows sunlight to pass through without glare, but also cools and sanitizes itself like a lotus leaf, reports Phys.org.
The micro-pyramids, or micro-pyramids, are about one-tenth the diameter of a hair and are made of a polymer and are similar in design to the leaf of a lotus flower, the researchers explain in a news release from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
The key feature is that the material is able to efficiently radiate heat through the Earth's atmosphere, releasing heat into the cold expanse of the universe.
This allows for radiative cooling without electricity consumption.
"When the material is used in roofs and walls, it allows for bright yet glare-free and privacy-free spaces for work and living," says the lead researcher.
"In greenhouses, the high light transmittance could increase because the high light transmittance could increase 9% because of the micro-pyramids, which is about one-tenth the diameter of a hair."
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