Archive · 19 Dec 2025
Scientists develop transparent insulation for windows
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have created a special material called MOCHI that can help keep buildings warmer or cooler without blocking light.
MOCHI is like a clear, high-tech bubble wrap made of silicone with tiny air pockets.
These air pockets are so small that they stop heat from escaping or entering through windows.
A thin sheet of MOCHI can protect your hand from a flame while still letting almost all the light through.
The researchers think this material could make buildings more energy-efficient by reducing the need for heating or cooling.
Right now, MOCHI is only made in labs, but the scientists hope to make it easier and cheaper to produce for everyday use.
This could help save energy and make our homes and offices more comfortable.
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder developed a transparent insulating material called MOCHI for windows.
MOCHI is a silicone-based gel with air-filled microscopic pores that block heat exchange while allowing light to pass through.
A 5mm sheet of MOCHI can shield a person's palm from the heat of an open flame and reflects only 0.2% of incoming light.
The material is inspired by aerogels but is engineered to remain clear by controlling the formation of air pockets.
MOCHI could improve energy efficiency in buildings and has potential applications in solar energy harvesting.
- Who
- Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder
- What
- Developed a transparent insulating material called MOCHI for windows
- When
- Study published on December 11
- Where
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Why
- To improve energy efficiency in buildings by reducing heat loss through windows
- Material Name
- Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator (MOCHI)
- Material Composition
- Silicone-based gel with air-filled microscopic pores
- Insulation Effectiveness
- 5mm sheet shields palm from open flame
- Light Transparency
- Reflects only 0.2% of incoming light
- Potential Applications
- Energy-efficient windows, solar energy harvesting
- Current Status
- Laboratory-made, not yet commercially available
- Research Team
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Publication Date
- December 11 (study published in Science)