July 18, 2011 A University of Connecticut scientist has
perfected a method for creating quick-changing, variable colors
in films and displays, such as sunglasses, that could lead to
the next hot fashion accessory. The new technology also has
captured the interest of the U.S. military as a way to assist
soldiers who need to be able to see clearly in rapidly changing
environments. The process for creating the lenses, for which a
patent is pending, also is less expensive and less wasteful to
manufacturers than previous methods. The findings were published
July 7 in the Journal of Materials Chemistry. "This is the next
big thing for transition lenses," says Greg Sotzing, a professor
of chemistry in UConn's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and
a member of UConn's Polymer Program. The typical material behind
a transition lens is what's called a photochromic film, or a
sheet of polymers that change color when light hits them.
Sotzing's new technology does things slightly differently -- his
electrochromic lenses