Light-Activated Smart Curtains

Jan-17-14 Researchers have used carbon nanotubes to create battery-free ‘smart curtains’ able to automatically respond to changes in light.

The curtains were developed by laying carbon nanotubes on the surface of a plastic polycarbonate membrane. When the nanotubes absorb light, they quickly convert it to heat that is then transferred to the surface of the membrane. This heat causes the plastic to expand while the nanotube layer remains unchanged, in turn causing the material to bend. The size and direction of the chirality (the direction of the twist) of the nanotubes can also be altered to allow the material to respond differently to different wavelengths of light.

In addition to curtains able to automatically close or open, the technology could also be applied to light-driven motors and robotics that move toward or away from light sources.

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[DVICE.COM]
[UC BERKELEY]

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