Concrete Casts New Light in Dull Rooms

opticsorg writes "Stuck for decorating ideas? Then the light-transmitting concrete that is set to hit the market this year is what you could be looking for! The days of dull, grey concrete could be about to end. A Hungarian architect has combined the world's most popular building material with optical fiber from Schott to create a new type of concrete that transmits light. A wall made of 'LitraCon' allegedly has the strength of traditional concrete but thanks to an embedded array of glass fibers can display a view of the outside world, such as the silhouette of a tree, for example."

Comments

And the reverse?

[bolix]

I don't see mention of being able to see internal objects? If the lightsource inside is stronger (nighttime), you may get the shadow puppet effect all around your house!

What about paint? You know anyone that wants gray walls in their house?

Re:And the reverse?

[p4ul13]

You're right. It is almost certain that the outside world should be able to see your "shadow puppet" at night.

As for the color of the wall, there was a picture on the site that showed a brown wall, so I guess the stuff could be dyed when it is manufactured, but I think repainting your room would be out of the question..

Re:And the reverse?

[jaredcat]

You're right! Being able to see internal objects is a big no-no.

What's next? putting big glass panes in the wall? Oh wait a second...

Seriously though, there are a lot of building applications for opaque wall material. From the pictures on this website it looks like you wouldn't be able to see any more detail than you can see through those thick distorted glass bricks used in place of windows in many a public bathroom.

What is really amazing about this stuff is that it can be load bearing. Now when you want to build a huge transparent wall for cheap, you don't have to use as much glass. Or if you still want to use glass as much glass as possible, now you can have semi-transparent supports around the glass insted of just plain old concrete and dry wall.

Re:And the reverse?

[Mad Bad Rabbit]

You're right. It is almost certain that the outside world should be able to see your "shadow puppet" at night.

Instead of having the fibers run straight through the block, maybe they could twist or braid them; so that light could still seep through but would form random shadow blobs instead of clear silhouettes.

Chernobyl

[AtariAmarok]

Then the light-transmitting concrete that is set to hit the market this year

I see some huckster has found a clever way to get rid of all that Chernobyl rubble and building material.

In a related story

[AtariAmarok]

In a related story, Packard Bell has anounced that the screens on its new portable computers will use this material. It will replace the current solid-lead screen. They are hoping to get their laptop weight below 68 lbs for the first time.

Translucent Concrete

[shaka999]

While this is a cool idea its not that original

http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displayStory .c fm?Story_id=779421

Bill Price's version actually sounds like it lets through more light but is also harder to work with.

Re:Translucent Concrete

[jc42]

It's a much, much older idea.

Before the 20th century made artificial lighting cheap, it was common for the holds of ships to be illuminated by light coming in through a lot of thick lenses that were embedded into the deck. The lenses were usually roughly pyramidal in shape, with the point down of course. Holes would be drilled in the deck, and then shaped so that the lenses would fit into them flush with the deck. You can see a lot of these in maritime museums these days, as well as in the decks of some of the historical ships in a few harbors.

Of course, they didn't transmit any sort of image. But you wouldn't want them to, really. They just has to be translucent and tough enough to take all the beating they got from above.

Of course, people also included glass bricks in walls for the same purpose. They're still for sale.

Invisible Concrete

[AtariAmarok]

I've got a better idea: Invisible Concrete! In fact, I'll build you an entire skyscraper of invisible building materials for half the cost of a conventional building.

Since the stuff does take a long time to properly cure, I'll have to request that you stay off the premises until this is complete.

In fact, if you venture past the "Caution: Invisible building construction zone tape", it will result in the immediate disintigration of the building, and I will not be held liable for the loss. (This disintegration process is silent and harmless: it is like nothing happened at all).

I'll take payment in advance.

Re:Cool!

[Bazzargh]

From the pictures on the site, I imagine that they are just going to make a full piece of cement to your size specifications insted of you buying a whole bunch of smaller blocks and cementing them.

No, this picture clearly shows bricks. However generally cement isn't going to be a problem for this material. You can see that he's running fibres from one site of the concrete to the other. The light you see on one side appears in the position it fell on the other side, (look at the two shadows of the woman's right arm - the one cast outside the block is lower than the one cast through the block).

This being the case,you can create room for a channel of cement between blocks by bending the fibres, while having the blocks appear to be flush on the outside. ie:

|upper______block|
|/////CEMENT\/<--- fibre bends round channel
|___/________\___|
|lower//////block|
| ////////////////|

Unanswered question

[El]

What are the heat-transmittal properties of this material? Is it a better or worse insulator than glass blocks?

Finally...

[JMZero]

I can have a glass house, and throw stones with impunity.

transparent walls

[slobod]

Some folks already use these walls when they play quake....