Controlling solar transmission through windows promises to reduce building energy consumption. A new smart window for adaptive solar modulation is presented in this work proposing the combination of the photothermal one-dimensional (1D) Au nanochains and thermochromic hydrogel. In this adaptive solar modulation system, the Au nanochains act as photoresponsive nanoheaters to stimulate the optical switching of the thermochromic hydrogel. By carefully adjusting the electrostatic interactions between nanoparticles, different chain morphologies and plateau-like broad-band absorption in the NIR region are achieved. Such broad-band-absorbed 1D nanochains possess excellent thermoplasmonic effect and enable the solar modulation with compelling features of improved NIR light shielding, high initial visible transmittance, and fast response speed. The designed smart window based on 1D Au nanochains is capable of shielding 94.1% of the solar irradiation from 300 to 2500 nm and permitting 71.2% of visible light before the optical switching for indoor visual comfort. In addition, outdoor cooling tests in model house under continuous natural solar irradiation reveal the remarkable passive cooling performance up to ∼7.8 °C for the smart window based on 1D Au nanochains, showing its potential in the practical application of building energy saving.

Smart textiles with tunable luminescence have received special attention due to their great potential in various advanced photonic applications. Particularly, the development of one-dimensional, on-demand, responsive fluorescence fibers with excellent adaptability is of great significance. Herein, we propose electro-thermochromic fluorescence fibers regulated by a self-crystallinity phase change; that is, their tunable luminescence properties are derived from the reversible conversion of the dispersion state and fluorescence emission of fluorophore molecules during the crystallization/melting processes of phase-change materials. First results obtained with an alginate wet-spinning system demonstrate that the self-crystallinity phase change can produce polymeric fibers with thermochromic fluorescence behavior, which are prepared using microemulsion particles containing a phase-change fatty acid and coumarin fluorescent dyes. These thermochromic fluorescence fibers possess a fast response speed, high emission contrast, and good reversibility (>100 cycles). Particularly, the thermochromic fluorescent fibers can gain an electrotriggered capability by means of electric heating materials, and their great potential in precision operation applications is demonstrated. It is easy to adjust the switching point of the electro-thermochromic fluorescence fibers, highlighting their potential use in a diverse range of applications, the designs of which can be personalized. This work offers a simple yet versatile strategy for constructing electro-thermochromic fluorescence fibers for advanced smart textiles.