#4/10 In brief: LIST RA17 – A clear view on the road

There is no question that smart coatings bring added value to classic day-to-day objects. With them, the ordinary becomes extraordinary. These latest coating technologies, consisting of a coating on the surface of a material or a part, to give it particular properties, provide new functionalities to the objects and things around us. By applying a smart coating to a standard object, it can react, as if by magic, to certain given interactions. Furthermore, manufacturers are also very interested in these coatings as they give them an inkling of the enormous development potential for the objects and materials of tomorrow.

At LIST, we work in close collaboration with Carlex, a top-end American car glass manufacturer established in Luxembourg. Together, thanks to these smart coatings, we hope to develop a brand new generation of car windscreens that will prevent the passenger compartment overheating and the windows fogging up in the winter. Our ambition is simple: We want to reduce the ecological impact of the heating and cooling systems in cars. The windscreen is indeed a real weakness in terms of heat absorption and loss and is thus responsible for energy overconsumption. By improving its thermic insulation capabilities, we enable the cars of tomorrow to respond more effectively to future European regulations on vehicle emissions. But that is not all. When energy consumption decreases, the attractiveness and performance of electric vehicles will increase.

> This article originally featured in “Create an economic impact with new technologies”  section of the report.

> The Institute invites you to read the report in full online. The next article to be published on list.lu will be  “All eyes on space”.