Photosynthetic Glass: As a Responsive Bioenergy System

Abstract

Can photosynthesis of leaves evolve glass into a photoactive energy system? To create a transculent material that emulates the chemical reaction cycle of leaves by endothermic principles as a metabolic cycle for thermal conductance heat targeting. The evolution of glass envelopes into a photoactive adsorption layer, at an integrated multiscale level, in response to climatic regionalization. Nature’s biological systems are living multifunctional mechanical information systems of chemical composition. They have the ability to learn and adapt to changing climatic conditions by self-regulation of solar adsorption, to achieve thermal management. These self-programmable controls of adaptive material performance will progress the surfaces of a skyscraper, from being a mere material entity to a dynamic one. This response to real-time performance change by the hour, season and weather conditions is exothermic management of a glass material as an energy flow cycle. The transformation of glass envelopes into a dynamic energy system that responds to the environment and contributes to the planet’s energy needs. This chapter focuses on the use of an optically transparent, thermal energy adsorbing glass composite that is in the conceptual phase. Progression of this has just entered the laboratory testing of the first phototype composite.