Researchers have developed an anti-reflective coating that makes transparent plastic almost invisible.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed an anti-reflective coating that makes clear plastic almost invisible.
(AR) coating on plastic has a variety of practical applications, including reduced glare on glasses, computer monitors, and displays on outdoor smartphones. Now, researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a permeable membrane that penetrates existing coatings, making transparent plastics, such as resin glass, almost invisible to

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, an associate professor of electrical engineering at Pennsylvania State University, said: "This discovery was made as we worked to build more efficient solar panels. "Our approach involves focusing light on small, efficient solar cells using plastic lenses, and we need to minimize their reflection loss."
although it is relatively easy to manufacture coatings that will eliminate reflections at specific wavelengths or directions, coatings that meet all standards at the same time are not available. For example, the glasses AR coating targets narrow visible parts of the spectrum. But the solar spectrum is about five times the width of the visible spectrum, so the coating is ineffective for spotlight solar cell systems.
to create nanoscale pores in evaporated Teflon
In a recent paper, Giebink and co-authors describe a new process to bridge the gap between Teflon and air. They used sacrificial molecules to create nanoscale pores in the evaporated Teflon, resulting in a Teflon-air film that gradients the refractive index, allowing light to see a smooth refractive index change from 1 to 1.5, eliminating virtually all reflections.
"Teflon is a polymer, and interestingly, when you heat it in a crucible, the large polymer chain is cut into smaller pieces that are small enough to evaporate and emit steam qualms. When they land on the substrate, they can re-converge and form Teflon," Giebink said. When sacrificing molecules are added to the solder, Teflon re-forms around the molecules. Dissolve the sacrificial molecules to leave behind nano-porous membranes, which can be graded by adding more holes.