Self-Defrosting Windshield

Researchers in Switzerland have discovered a way to make windows that defrost themselves using an ultra-thin coating made from gold and titanium dioxide. The transparent material can be used to coat glass or other surfaces, and because it requires no other chemicals, it should be more eco-friendly than de-icing solutions.

Gold particles are excellent absorbers of sunlight, and when they are tightly embedded in titanium dioxide, they are even more efficient at soaking up solar energy. The innovative material works by concentrating that energy into a small volume, which raises the surface temperature and causes the ice to melt.

Additional advantages of the material over other defrosting techniques include the fact that it does not require the application of electricity or mechanical scrapers. The researchers anticipate that the product will become commercially available in about five years.