A Window that Washes Itself

Yesterday I read this very interesting piece of info on Eurekalert. A window that washes itself is now a distinct possibility.

Tel Aviv University researchers have made a breakthrough in assembling peptides at the nano-scale level that could make this futuristic vision come true. The research began as an attempt to find a new cure for Alzheimer's disease.

The scientists have not manufactured the actual material but are developing a basic-science technology that could lead to self-cleaning windows and more efficient energy storage devices in just a few years. Coated with the new material, the sealed outer windows of skyscrapers may never need to be washed again. It can repel rainwater, as well as the dust and dirt it carries.

Details of the research appears in the latest issue of journal Nature Nanotechnology