31 Jan New miniature double glazing developed

Double glazing is something in which many of us will invest during our lifetime.

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An article in Which confirms that double glazed windows will keep heat in, reduce condensation and heighten security. Of course, the biggest appeal to homeowners is the way in which double glazing can keep the warm air circulating within the house, thus cutting their energy costs.

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But in an age of ever-advancing technology, scientists have created a new material that can conduct heat and insulate at the same time.

What is the material?

The material is crafted from layers of incredibly thin glass plates between which polymer chains are placed. This makes the material a thermal conductor and insulator at the same time whereas current materials are usually either one or the other; porous items like polystyrene, for example, are often used in insulation while hardy metals are often used for heat conduction. To create a product that can do both is revolutionary.

How is this similar to double glazing?

To anyone in Gloucester double glazing will already be a familiar idea, essentially using argon gas placed between two panes of glass. Because argon gas is a poor heat conductor, the panes are able to keep the heat in and prevent noise. In essence, the principle of this new material is very similar to the double glazing concept, the only difference being that it uses several wafer-thin layers of glass rather than two thicker ones.

But how does it work?

Heat spreads by attaching itself to other molecules. By building up several thin layers, the heat molecules on one layer attach to each other but can’t attach to any on another layer. But because the conduction rate is high, there are no interfaces to block the flow. The multiple layers are crucial to the design and effectiveness of this product. It may be a while before Gloucester double glazing experts will be employing it in installations but it certainly has an exciting future.

What can it be used for?

Currently, the product has been used to create heat sinks in computer processors. It is a technologically new product that will need to find its place in the market. But thanks to it’s innovative and unique design, it will undoubtedly be seen in a lot of manufacturing processes in the coming years.