GCSP research stipend | Spring 2018

Silicon Nanoparticle Layers for Use as Glass Insulation

This project seeks to develop layers of silicon nano-particles for deposition onto glass to produce thermal insulation for residential and commercial buildings. Porous silicon nano-particles have been shown to refract ultraviolet wavelengths of sunlight at their front face and interface with glass. Currently, these layers lack durability, and spectrophotometry analysis shows excessive haze, issues which will be reduced by tuning nano-particle size. As nano-particle insulation can be applied to single-pane glass, it is a cheaper alternative to renovating houses to include double-pane windows and frames. This technology has commercial potential, but further work could expedite the deposition process.