Professor of inorganic
and materials chemistry, Ivan Parkin, and Troy Manning,
both of the chemistry department at University College
London, developed the intelligent window coating as
part of Mr Manning's PhD studies.
The thin film is
made out of a material called vanadium dioxide, and
it undergoes a change depending on the weather outside.
On cold days the
"thermochromic coating" allows all sunlight
in, while on hot days, once the outside temperature
reaches a certain level, the film begins acting as a
filter, blocking infrared rays, which are responsible
for generating heat.
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