The material allows the building to change color to save energy by cooling

In a new study published in the journal Nature Saustainability, researchers Pritzker School of Molecular EngineeringHe describes the development of a material from the University of Chicago that can change color and enables smarter heat exchange between buildings and the outdoors.

The secret to a pleasant indoor environment is that buildings can keep out the cold or the heat.

But materials have different ways of absorbing and dissipating heat, and therefore buildings and houses cannot always maintain a good temperature on their own. We have heaters and air conditioners for that.

But what if the building manages to respond on its own, albeit abruptly, to external changes and continues to maintain the interior temperature without major differences in the thermometer?

Scientists seem to have found a solution to this dilemma in the relationship between colors and heat.

Heat emits radiation at infrared wavelengths. Some materials absorb more radiation, increasing the temperature, while others reflect better or have the ability to give off more heat.

Considering these properties, the researchers developed an electrochromic material that can provide a smarter thermal balance and change color in buildings.

The material consists of layers that can be electrically excited to change state.

On very hot days, the material can stay in a liquid state, emitting radiation more easily and cooling the building.

But on cold days, a simple electrical stimulus forms a solid layer of copper that helps the material retain heat.

These state changes support color differentiation, which, according to the scientists, can be adapted to a wide variety of palettes.

This new way of regulating the temperature not only represents a technological innovation, but also saves energy and environmental resources.

Now the researchers will take a new step in their research, examining ways to produce the material on a large scale.