Researchers at MIT have developed a new type of glass. More accurately, the researchers have developed a new method of creating surface textures on glass which “virtually eliminates” reflections.
The new glass, as a result, has almost no glare and also causes water droplets to bounce off its surface, making it fog-resistant as well. The only way that this breakthrough could get any better would be if the glass was self cleaning. The weird thing is, the glass is actually self cleaning in addition to having glare- and fog-resistant qualities.
The glass surface is made up of tiny cones, five times taller than their width, which endow the glass with the properties listed above. The researchers hope to create an inexpensive process that will allow the glass to be created for all types of screens, including car windshields, solar panels and conventional home windows. Solar panels in particular would benefit from the process by allowing more light to transmit through the glass surface of the panel but a self cleaning fog resistance windshield would not be turned away if it was available.