Thermochromic hydrogels with an adjustable critical response temperature for temperature monitoring and smart windows

Abstract

Smart windows have been developed in recent years since they could sunlight modulation and energy management. However, the response temperature of most of these smart windows is higher than the...

Bidirectional optical response hydrogel with adjustable human comfort temperature for smart windows

“…Since Al 3+ bonded to the anionic head group of SDS, the resulting metal complexes were very stable and difficult to destroy even by heating. 12 Below the phase transition temperature, the particle size of PNIPAM was approximately 10 nm. However, when the temperature was higher than the phase transition temperature, the size of PNIPAM sharply increased to about 1000 nm (Fig.…”

“…[8][9][10] Therefore, smart windows must possess a reasonable thermochromic transition temperature (T k ), considering that they are primarily intended for use in human residential environments. 11,12 However, most of the existing smart windows are constructed from traditional thermochromic materials, such as vanadium dioxide (VO 2 , T k E 68 1C), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC, T k E 54 1C), poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) (PNVCL, T k E 34 1C), poly (Nisopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM, T k E 32 1C), and so on. [13][14][15][16] The T k of these materials is much higher compared to the comfortable temperature range (22-27 1C).…”

“…More specifically, smart windows based on traditional thermochromic materials may not change their optical characteristics to modulate the incident solar radiation even if the outdoor temperature is already higher than the comfortable temperature. 12 This incident solar radiation continues to contribute heat to the indoors, which may cause the users to feel uncomfortable or consume more air conditioner cooling energy. Thus, a smart window with a reasonable thermochromic transition temperature has great advantages in practical applications.…”

Engineering a polyvinyl butyral hydrogel as a thermochromic interlayer for energy-saving windows

“…thermochromic materials, including those based on VO 2 -based films, 9 halide perovskites, 12 phase-change polymers in liquid, [14][15][16][17] gel (Table S1, ESI †), [18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and dry solid states, 25 have demonstrated great potential. Among these materials, hydrogels exhibiting a lower-critical solution temperature (LCST) have drawn intensive research interest.…”

Fabrication of high‐strength magnetically responsive hydrogels by synergistic salting‐out and freezing–thawing and application of their shape deformation and swimming

“…In the last few years, smart hydrogels, which exhibit a response to different stimuli such as pH, [1] temperature, [2][3][4][5][6][7] light, [8] electric fields, [9][10][11][12] and magnetic fields, [13][14][15][16] have acquired great interest and attention. Among these smart hydrogels, magnetic actuation hydrogel is especially gained more attention because of its unique properties, including remote operation, fast response, and easily controlled manipulation .…”