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uk Thursday 15 August 2013 HomeNewsWorldSportFinanceCommentBlogsCultureTravelLifeWomenFashionTechDating Off ers Jobs Technology NewsTechnology CompaniesTechnology ReviewsVideo GamesTechnol ogy VideoMobile PhonesMobile App Reviews HomeTechnologyTechnology NewsSmart glass may mean it is curtains for window blinds A "smart" window that can block out sunlight or heat at the flick of a switch ma y make blinds and curtains redundant. A dual-band electrochromic material has been developed by linking tin-doped indi um oxide nanocrystals to an amorphous niobium oxide matrix. These transparent fi lms are capable of blocking solar radiation in a controlled fashion, allowing da ylight and solar heat to be selectively and dynamically modulated through window s. A dual-band electrochromic material has been developed by linking tin-doped indi um oxide nanocrystals to an amorphous niobium oxide matrix. These transparent fi lms are capable of blocking solar radiation in a controlled fashion, allowing da ylight and solar heat to be selectively and dynamically modulated through window s. Photo: ANNA LLORDES/LAWRENCE BERKELEY NATIONAL LAB Richard Gray By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent 6:31AM BST 15 Aug 2013 Comments5 Comments Scientists have created a material that can selectively block out visible light or heat when an electric voltage is applied across it. By mixing the tiny crystals of the material with glass, they were able to create window panes that could block light from passing through it. Depending on the voltage they applied, the glass could be completely transparent , could block out only heat, only visible light or both. It means the dimmable windows could not only be used instead curtains or blinds but also to help control the temperature of buildings during the summer. The researchers achieved this by combining nanocrystals of tin-doped indium oxid e into niobium oxide glass, which is often used to make optical glasses. Related Articles 'Smart' window breakthough 22 Aug 2004 Miracle material: the graphene revolution 10 Jun 2013 Graphene paint could power future homes 03 May 2013 Sponsored Keeping the UK at the forefront of mobile Dr Anna Llordes, who led the research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laborato ry in California, said: "The resulting material demonstrates a previously unreal ised optical switching behaviour that will enable the dynamic control of solar r adiation transmittance through windows. "These transparent films can block near-infrared and visible light selectively a nd independently by varying the applied electrochemical voltage over a range of 2.5 volts." The reason why the glass has the ability to block out both heat, in the form of infrared radiation, and visible light is because the indium tin oxide nanocrysta ls and the niobium oxide glass both respond differently when an electric current

is applied across them. They are what is known as electrochromic. When a small negative charge is applie d to the glass, it causes the indium tin oxide nanocrystals to absorb infrared l ight. If that charge is made more negative then the niobium oxide absorbs visible ligh t. This means that a window can be tuned to simply dim or to block out light altoge ther. The researchers also found that combining the two materials into a single glass caused the niobium oxide to block out five times as much light as it would by it self. Dr Delia Milliron, the principal investigator on the project, said they hoped to improve the amount of infrared light that can be blocked. She believes the cost could be brought down to produce glass that is just 10 to 15 per cent more expensive than a standard window. "Integrating our active glass with a solid electrolyte and a transparent counter electrode, suitable for a real window prototype, is the subject of our current research," she said. Share 50 Facebook 13 Twitter 37 Email LinkedIn 0

Technology News News Science Science News Technology Richard Gray In Technology Galaxy S4: Samsung launches new smartphone that takes the fight to Apple Galaxy S4 in pictures In Technology News Met's tweets over London Are these the most self-obsessed models on social media? Check me out Subscribe to the weekly Tech Briefing email Sam the cat may have nine lives, but he only has one expression - worried - tha nks to his unusual markings. He has two black marks on his forehead resembling e yebrows. His owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, rescued Sam the stray cat fr om New York and set-up an online profile dedicated to him and his 'eyebrows'. Sa m now has more than 24,000 followers on picture sharing site Instagram with his

anxious expression earning him world wide fame... Meet Sam, the worried cat Flickr creative commons Wonderful archive photos Share 50 Facebook 13 Twitter 37 LinkedIn 0 More from The Telegraph The hidden iPad features that may change your life 12 Aug 2013Telegraph Technolog y The death of driveway DIY? 06 Aug 2013Cars and Motoring What type of woman uses a Mooncup? Do you even know what one is? 09 Aug 2013Teleg raph Why is AVG trying to force me to pay for anti-virus protection? 04 Aug 2013Telegr aph Technology How to identify if someone is lying: do they say 'I'? 05 Aug 2013Telegraph Scienc e Jeff Howell: how can I insulate beneath the floor space? 13 Aug 2013Telegraph Pro perty More from the web Thinking of Buying a Nokia Lumia 925? Read This First 17 May 2013Nokia Range Rover Sport Blasts Through Pikes Peak - Breaks Record Times 25 Jul 2013You Tube John Lewis to sell WorldPay Mpos readers 31 Dec 1969Retail Times Moving up to a DSLR camera: take professional pin-sharp images 12 Jul 2013Guardia n How just 5 a day has grown to over 275,000 over 25 years 01 Jun 2013Hargreaves Lans down Ten iPhone Apps Worth Paying For 31 Dec 1969Dummies.com Advertisement Ads by Google See The Northern Lights View Our Selection of Aurora Breaks Request a Tailor-Made Quote Online. Discover-The-World.co.uk/Aurora Quality Blinds & Curtains Extra 10% Off Use Code EB277 Today. 3 Year Guarantee. Free Samples. www.englishblinds.co.uk Naga Magnetic Glassboards Beautiful Glass Notice Boards From Just 23.95 With Free Delivery www.scribbleonline.co.uk telegraphuk DISQUS... 5 comments Add a comment Comment with a Telegraph account Login | Register with the Telegraph Alternatively...

Comment with one of your accounts Showing 5 comments Order by popular now best rating newest first oldest first Real-time updating is enabled. (Pause) 0 new comment was just posted. ShowEmail logo Follow with email RSS logo Follow with RSS Commenter's avatar McKenzie 24 seconds ago Hmmm - I think I'll pimp my ride! Comment like count Recommended by 0 person Recommend Report . Commenter's avatar Mia Person 33 minutes ago Whatever happened to the "spray-on" glass we were promised 3 years ago ? Comment like count Recommended by 0 person Recommend Report . Commenter's avatar 5antiago 45 minutes ago Awesome. I saw something like this (I think blocking light only, not heat as we ll) on Grand Designs, it looked very smart Comment like count Recommended by 0 person Recommend Report . Commenter's avatar How_delightful 53 minutes ago What happened to reactolite glass? Did nobody find a way to reverse the effect ( so it goes dark NATURALLY when an internal light is switched on)? Also; does double or triple glazing with an external reflective coating not stop heat penetration like it used to? Research is fine; but lets be pragmatic. Comment like count Recommended by 0 person Recommend Report . Commenter's avatar 5antiago 44 minutes ago Why would anyone want reactolite windows? Comment like count Recommended by 1 person Recommend Report . .

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Samsung Nokia HTC Mobile Reviews App Reviews Telegraph for iPad Companies Apple Google Microsoft Facebook Twitter Amazon Video Games News Trailers Previews Xbox PlayStation Nintendo Contact Us Privacy and Cookies Advertising Fantasy Football Tickets Announcements Reader Prints Follow Us Apps Epaper Expat Promotions Subscriber Syndication Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2013 Terms and Conditions Today's News Archive Style Book Weather Forecast Sky News journalists this afternoon paid tribute to cameraman and colleague Mick Deane who was shot and killed in Egypt this morning while covering clashes betw een security forces and pro-Morsi protesters in the Cairo district of Rabaa. The 61-year-old had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Je rusalem. He is said to have died minutes after reaching hospital. John Ryley, the Head of Sky News, described Mr Deane as the very best of camerame n, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky . Tim Marshall, the network s foreign affairs editor, described the cameraman as a fr iend, brave as a lion but what a heart what a human being . He was also humorous and wise . On Twitter those who had worked alongside Mr Deane paid tribute to his dedicatio n and professionalism. Sky correspondent Niall Paterson said the cameraman was tr

uly one of the very best men you could meet . Former colleague Neal Mann, now based at the Wall Street Journal, said: Mick Dean e was one of the nicest people I've ever worked with on the ground. Really helpe d me in my career, a great guy & brilliant cameraman. Sunday Times Washington bureau chief Toby Harnden said: Gutted to learn of death of Sky cameraman Mick Deane in Egypt. Spent happy times with him on road in US. Wonderful guy, true professional. Mr Deane was the second media worker reported killed today. Earlier, Gulf News c onfirmed that its Egypt correspondent Habiba Abdel Aziz had been killed by snipe r fire in Cairo. Habiba Ahmed Abd Elaziz, a 26-year-old staff reporter of XPRESS , a sister publication of Gulf News, was shot dead in Cairo on Wednesday morning . Family members said she was shot at the Rabaa Al Adawiya Square in Cairo. She wa s not on any official assignment and had gone to her home country on annual leav e. After graduating with a Journalism degree from the American University of Sha rjah she joined Gulf News on September 11, 2011, as an intern working as a commu nity journalist for the Readers Desk. She covered the police and court beats for XPRESS, sister paper of Gulf News. Her younger sister, Arwa Ramadan, who lives in Sharjah, said the journalist was in the mosque at Rabaa Al Adawiya Square this morning. My mom [in Sharjah] spoke to her close to Fajr [early morning prayers], but when she called again a 12 noo n, there was no response. She called again, and somebody picked up the phone and told her Habiba was dead. My dad, who is in Egypt right now, confirmed it later . XPRESS deputy editor Mazhar Farooqui said the entire team is in a state of shock . It s hard to believe she s gone. She was passionate about her work and had a promi sing career ahead. A third journalist, Reuters photojournalist Asmaa Waguih, was also reported to h ave suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.

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