The Morning After: A super-thin layer of gold and titanium could prevent fogged-up glasses
All I want for Christmas is for my glasses not to fog up. And Swiss scientists might deliver on that wish. ETH Zurich researchers have developed a gold nanocoating that heats glass by up to 46 Fahrenheit by absorbing a large amount of infrared radiation − and keeps your glasses fog free. Most protective treatments merely spread water around using hydrophilic molecules, but this nano-thin layer can stop the condensation from even forming.
The research group believes the layer could also reduce fog on car windshields, and future implementations could work on mirrors, windows and more. The coating lays gold between layers of titanium oxide, which amplifies the heating effect through refraction and protects the gold against wear – titanium is much tougher. And while gold is pricey, the amount needed is so small it shouldn't add much to the price of your glasses if the tech makes its way into mainstream spectacles.
– Mat Smith
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All I want for Christmas is for my glasses not to fog up. And Swiss scientists might deliver on that wish. ETH Zurich researchers have developed a gold nanocoating that heats glass by up to 46 Fahrenheit by absorbing a large amount of infrared radiation − and keeps your glasses…
