The Light-Emitting That Could Illuminate Roads and Homes At Night
Jose Carlos Rubio has created a cement that can emit light; therefore, roads can be lit without electricity. The Professor from the Michoacan’s University of San Nicolas believes that the light will emit for 100 years.
Jose Carlos Rubio has created a cement that can emit light; therefore, roads can be lit without electricity. The Professor from the Michoacan’s University of San Nicolas believes that the light will emit for 100 years. He began nine years ago, and his main problem revolved around the fact that cement is opaque.
Cement dissolves in water the same way that effervescent tablets do, and the crucial point is when it becomes a gel. It is resistant and strong, and small flakes appear. To be successful, he realised that he would need to change the infrastructure so that it was only a gel. This way it would be able to absorb solar energy and send it back into the environment as light.
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In 2015, there was 44 billion tons of cement produced globally, so there is going to be a market for the product. While it is light, the cement will take in solar energy, and there should be enough for the structure to provide light through 12 hours of darkness.
A major advantage is the fact that cement does not corrode in the way that other materials do, so it remains usable for 100 years. Most items currently used will last about three years before giving into UV rays.
It is also ecological, and at present can only be produced in green or blue. The intensity of light can be managed so drivers will not be dazzled by it. Other countries are noting the developments and in the UK, it has been recognised by the Newton Fund.
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Helena Marsh
Helena Marsh is the Editor-in-Chief at TrendinTech, where she leads editorial strategy and oversees coverage across artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and enterprise technology. With more than a decade in technology journalism on both sides of the Atlantic, she previously served as a senior editor at Wired UK and covered the technology sector for The Guardian, following the rise of the big platforms, the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the regulatory push from Brussels and Washington. Helena holds an MA in Journalism from City, University of London and is a regular speaker at Web Summit in Lisbon and CES in Las Vegas. She believes technology reporting should be rigorous and plainly written, so readers understand what actually changes for them rather than what a company's announcement promises.
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