Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows

Xin-Hao Li; Chang Liu; Shien-Ping Feng; Nicholas Xuanlai Fang

doi:10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019

Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows

Xin-Hao Li
, Chang Liu
, Shien-Ping Feng
, Nicholas Xuanlai Fang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

431 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Intelligent control of solar irradiance through windows is promising to reduce building energy consumption by at least 1.055 × 10 ¹⁵ kJ/year in the United States. Light management with thermochromic smart windows holds practical significance due to their autonomous system and simplicity of the device. However, the conventional thermochromic material (VO ₂ ) faces scientific challenges with a high phase-transition temperature (68°C) and poor thermochromic performance. Temperature-responsive hydrogel emerges as a promising alternative, whereby light management could be pursued by maneuvering the light-scattering behaviors. This work reports the strategy to explore the thermochromic performance of co-polymerized hydrogel microparticles with the aid of tailoring particle size and internal structure. The solar modulation was effectively extended into the infrared region, and an unprecedented solar transmittance modulation of 81.3% was achieved at ∼32°C by our hydrogel thermochromic device with great scalability and stability.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	290-302
Journal	Joule
Volume	3
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019
Publication status	Published - 16 Jan 2019
Externally published	Yes

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Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].

Research Keywords

microgels
optical phase change materials
smart window
solar radiation

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@article{7db22b14a8204e41a0abb3886bb65cb4,

title = "Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows",

abstract = "Intelligent control of solar irradiance through windows is promising to reduce building energy consumption by at least 1.055 × 10 15 kJ/year in the United States. Light management with thermochromic smart windows holds practical significance due to their autonomous system and simplicity of the device. However, the conventional thermochromic material (VO 2 ) faces scientific challenges with a high phase-transition temperature (68°C) and poor thermochromic performance. Temperature-responsive hydrogel emerges as a promising alternative, whereby light management could be pursued by maneuvering the light-scattering behaviors. This work reports the strategy to explore the thermochromic performance of co-polymerized hydrogel microparticles with the aid of tailoring particle size and internal structure. The solar modulation was effectively extended into the infrared region, and an unprecedented solar transmittance modulation of 81.3\% was achieved at ∼32°C by our hydrogel thermochromic device with great scalability and stability.",

keywords = "microgels, optical phase change materials, smart window, solar radiation",

author = "Xin-Hao Li and Chang Liu and Shien-Ping Feng and Fang, \{Nicholas Xuanlai\}",

note = "Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].",

year = "2019",

month = jan,

day = "16",

doi = "10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "290--302",

journal = "Joule",

issn = "2542-4785",

publisher = "Cell Press",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows

AU - Li, Xin-Hao

AU - Liu, Chang

AU - Feng, Shien-Ping

AU - Fang, Nicholas Xuanlai

N1 - Publication details (e.g. title, author(s), publication statuses and dates) are captured on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis at the time of record harvesting from the data source. Suggestions for further amendments or supplementary information can be sent to [email protected].

PY - 2019/1/16

Y1 - 2019/1/16

N2 - Intelligent control of solar irradiance through windows is promising to reduce building energy consumption by at least 1.055 × 10 15 kJ/year in the United States. Light management with thermochromic smart windows holds practical significance due to their autonomous system and simplicity of the device. However, the conventional thermochromic material (VO 2 ) faces scientific challenges with a high phase-transition temperature (68°C) and poor thermochromic performance. Temperature-responsive hydrogel emerges as a promising alternative, whereby light management could be pursued by maneuvering the light-scattering behaviors. This work reports the strategy to explore the thermochromic performance of co-polymerized hydrogel microparticles with the aid of tailoring particle size and internal structure. The solar modulation was effectively extended into the infrared region, and an unprecedented solar transmittance modulation of 81.3% was achieved at ∼32°C by our hydrogel thermochromic device with great scalability and stability.

AB - Intelligent control of solar irradiance through windows is promising to reduce building energy consumption by at least 1.055 × 10 15 kJ/year in the United States. Light management with thermochromic smart windows holds practical significance due to their autonomous system and simplicity of the device. However, the conventional thermochromic material (VO 2 ) faces scientific challenges with a high phase-transition temperature (68°C) and poor thermochromic performance. Temperature-responsive hydrogel emerges as a promising alternative, whereby light management could be pursued by maneuvering the light-scattering behaviors. This work reports the strategy to explore the thermochromic performance of co-polymerized hydrogel microparticles with the aid of tailoring particle size and internal structure. The solar modulation was effectively extended into the infrared region, and an unprecedented solar transmittance modulation of 81.3% was achieved at ∼32°C by our hydrogel thermochromic device with great scalability and stability.

KW - microgels

KW - optical phase change materials

KW - smart window

KW - solar radiation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85060015558

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85060015558#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019

DO - 10.1016/j.joule.2018.10.019

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 2542-4785

VL - 3

SP - 290

EP - 302

JO - Joule

JF - Joule

IS - 1

ER -

Broadband Light Management with Thermochromic Hydrogel Microparticles for Smart Windows

Abstract

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Research Keywords

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