Case 14861/14941

Process for manufacturing glass with micro/nanostrutured surface texture

Keywords:

Nanostructured surface, glass manufacturing, fabrication method, self-cleaning, anti-fogging, anti-reflection

Applications:

Self-cleaning, anti-glare displays and increased solar panel efficiency

Problem:

Reflection, fogging and dirt-collection on the surface of glass.

Technology:

This invention is a nanostructured surface that has a high aspect ratio (large height over small features sizes) to provide better optical and wetting properties of glass. The invention includes a manufacturing process for the surface.

Advantages:
  • Anti-glare, anti-fog, self-clean
  • Compatible and adaptable to conventional 2-D lithography techniques
  • Both aspect ratio and profile of nanocone structure can be controlled

Inventors:
  • Prof. George Barbastathis(Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Chih-Hao Chang(Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NCSU)
  • Hyungryul Johnny Choi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Kyoo-Chul(Kenneth) Park (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Prof. Gareth H. McKinley(Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)
  • Jeong-Gil Kim (Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT)

Intellectual Property:

U.S. Patent Application Number 13/446053, filed on April 13, 2012

PCT Application Number PCT/US2012/034019, filed on April 18, 2012

Publications:

Park, K.C., Choi, H.J., Chang, C.H., Cohen, R.E., McKinley, G.H., Barbastathis, G., (2012)”Nanotextured Silica Surfaces with Robust Superhydrophobicity and Omnidirectional Broadband Supertransmissivity”, ACS Nano, Vol.6., No.5, 3788-3799

MITNews, April 26, 2012 ”Through a glass, clearly – MIT researchers find a way to make glass that’s anti-fogging, self-cleaning and free of glare”

Technology Review, September/October 2012 "Glass without Glare - New technique could virtually eliminate reflections, dirt and droplets"

Last revised: October 24, 2012

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