The “magical” roof (in nanoparticles) of the Cadillac Celestiq- Corriere.it

GM has entrusted the hopes of becoming a major player in the zero-emissions market to Cadillac Celestiq: this is why its flagship – scheduled for 2023 – cannot fail to offer new high-level technologies. One of the many innovative solutions of Celestiq was shown by Cadillac in a recent teaser: a sheet of stratified crystal, capable of varying the degree of opacity at the touch of a button on the dashboard. Something similar to the Magic Sky Control employed by Mercedes on the 2011 SLK roadster, but even more sophisticated as a decade of research and development has passed.

Technically it is called SPD-Smartglass and produced by Research Frontiers based in Woodbury County (New York). It uses Suspended Particle Device technology, created to replace manual sliding curtains on board commercial aircraft, and uses nanoparticle crystals that are oriented by means of a low electrical voltage, allowing more or less light to pass through the cockpit, depending on the needs. . an intelligent glass that allows you to change its hue: a film that contains small nanoparticles, controllable with a small electrical voltage – explained Joe Harary, CEO of Research Frontiers – the crystals are three to five tenths of a micron long and act as induced dipoles . When you apply an electric field to the conductive coating of the film, the particles line up and let light through. If tension is removed, the natural tendency is to be in the dark state and for Brownian motion (the incessant and disordered motion of particles, ed) “Stain” the glass.

The first positive effect of the special roof prevent the driver from being dazzled when traveling in bright sunlight. But, above all, when necessary, it reduces the accumulation of heat inside the car (about 95% less), allowing the occupants not to have to turn on the air conditioning during the hottest periods of the year. Furthermore, says the manufacturer, the use of the SPD-Smartglass on a thermal car can save up to four grams per mm of CO2 emissions while driving. Not a secondary factor, considering that in countries where drivers are taxed based on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by their vehicles per distance traveled, the cut could result in an average saving of around 380 euros per year. In the case of the Cadillac Celestiq, equipped with an electric powertrain, it will instead contribute to a greater autonomy of the car, limiting battery consumption.