Bio-Inspired, Scalable, and Tri-Mode Stimuli-Chromic Composite for Smart Window Multifunctionality

Yujie KE; Na LI; Yan LIU; Tingting ZHU; Shancheng WANG; Yanbin LI; Gaojian LIN; Qiuting ZHANG; Yuwei HU; Zhaogang DONG; Jie YIN; Zheng LIU; Yi LONG

doi:10.1002/adfm.202305998

Bio-Inspired, Scalable, and Tri-Mode Stimuli-Chromic Composite for Smart Window Multifunctionality

Yujie KE, Na LI, Yan LIU, Tingting ZHU, Shancheng WANG, Yanbin LI, Gaojian LIN, Qiuting ZHANG, Yuwei HU^*, Zhaogang DONG, Jie YIN, Zheng LIU, Yi LONG^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Smart window is promising to save building energy and reduce carbon emissions. The fast development leads to a high demand for multifunctionality not limited to energy saving, while the material design and fabrication are challenging. Herein, a scalable method is developed for tri-mode light regulations: thermo-, mechano-, and hydro-/solvato-chromisms. The film is constructed of a bio-inspired hierarchical-structured surface and a functional elastomer base. Through combined experiments and simulations, the triple-stimuli-chromic mechanisms of strain-induced surface structure deformations, wettability-controlled reflective index matches, and thermal-responsive nanostructural resonances, respectively are revealed. Besides a good energy-saving performance, the robust method shows several advantages: 1) independent energy-saving and privacy functionalities, 2) an additional hydro-/solvato-chromic mode to control privacy in extreme circumstances, and 3) designable patterns and colors to meet high aesthetic demand. The work may inspire the future development of multifunctional smart windows and spatio-temporal light control methods.

Original language	English
Article number	2305998
Number of pages	11
Journal	Advanced Functional Materials
Volume	33
Issue number	46
Early online date	1 Sept 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202305998
Publication status	Published - 9 Nov 2023
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Y.Long wishes to thank the funding support from the Global STEM Professorship Scheme sponsored by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and start‐up funding from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Y.H. thanks the funding support provided by A*STAR (C210112014) and SERC Central Research Fund (CRF, UIBR, KIMR220901aSERCRF), Singapore. Y.Long and Z.L. wish to thank the Tier 1 RG86/20, Ministry of Education, Singapore.

Keywords

building energy
energy saving
functional elastomers
hydrochromism
mechanochromism
smart windows
thermochromism

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title = "Bio-Inspired, Scalable, and Tri-Mode Stimuli-Chromic Composite for Smart Window Multifunctionality",

abstract = "Smart window is promising to save building energy and reduce carbon emissions. The fast development leads to a high demand for multifunctionality not limited to energy saving, while the material design and fabrication are challenging. Herein, a scalable method is developed for tri-mode light regulations: thermo-, mechano-, and hydro-/solvato-chromisms. The film is constructed of a bio-inspired hierarchical-structured surface and a functional elastomer base. Through combined experiments and simulations, the triple-stimuli-chromic mechanisms of strain-induced surface structure deformations, wettability-controlled reflective index matches, and thermal-responsive nanostructural resonances, respectively are revealed. Besides a good energy-saving performance, the robust method shows several advantages: 1) independent energy-saving and privacy functionalities, 2) an additional hydro-/solvato-chromic mode to control privacy in extreme circumstances, and 3) designable patterns and colors to meet high aesthetic demand. The work may inspire the future development of multifunctional smart windows and spatio-temporal light control methods.",

keywords = "building energy, energy saving, functional elastomers, hydrochromism, mechanochromism, smart windows, thermochromism",

author = "Yujie KE and Na LI and Yan LIU and Tingting ZHU and Shancheng WANG and Yanbin LI and Gaojian LIN and Qiuting ZHANG and Yuwei HU and Zhaogang DONG and Jie YIN and Zheng LIU and Yi LONG",

note = "Y.Long wishes to thank the funding support from the Global STEM Professorship Scheme sponsored by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and start‐up funding from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Y.H. thanks the funding support provided by A*STAR (C210112014) and SERC Central Research Fund (CRF, UIBR, KIMR220901aSERCRF), Singapore. Y.Long and Z.L. wish to thank the Tier 1 RG86/20, Ministry of Education, Singapore.",

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AU - KE, Yujie

AU - LI, Na

AU - LIU, Yan

AU - ZHU, Tingting

AU - WANG, Shancheng

AU - LI, Yanbin

AU - LIN, Gaojian

AU - ZHANG, Qiuting

AU - HU, Yuwei

AU - DONG, Zhaogang

AU - YIN, Jie

AU - LIU, Zheng

AU - LONG, Yi

N1 - Y.Long wishes to thank the funding support from the Global STEM Professorship Scheme sponsored by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and start‐up funding from The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Y.H. thanks the funding support provided by A*STAR (C210112014) and SERC Central Research Fund (CRF, UIBR, KIMR220901aSERCRF), Singapore. Y.Long and Z.L. wish to thank the Tier 1 RG86/20, Ministry of Education, Singapore.

PY - 2023/11/9

Y1 - 2023/11/9

N2 - Smart window is promising to save building energy and reduce carbon emissions. The fast development leads to a high demand for multifunctionality not limited to energy saving, while the material design and fabrication are challenging. Herein, a scalable method is developed for tri-mode light regulations: thermo-, mechano-, and hydro-/solvato-chromisms. The film is constructed of a bio-inspired hierarchical-structured surface and a functional elastomer base. Through combined experiments and simulations, the triple-stimuli-chromic mechanisms of strain-induced surface structure deformations, wettability-controlled reflective index matches, and thermal-responsive nanostructural resonances, respectively are revealed. Besides a good energy-saving performance, the robust method shows several advantages: 1) independent energy-saving and privacy functionalities, 2) an additional hydro-/solvato-chromic mode to control privacy in extreme circumstances, and 3) designable patterns and colors to meet high aesthetic demand. The work may inspire the future development of multifunctional smart windows and spatio-temporal light control methods.

AB - Smart window is promising to save building energy and reduce carbon emissions. The fast development leads to a high demand for multifunctionality not limited to energy saving, while the material design and fabrication are challenging. Herein, a scalable method is developed for tri-mode light regulations: thermo-, mechano-, and hydro-/solvato-chromisms. The film is constructed of a bio-inspired hierarchical-structured surface and a functional elastomer base. Through combined experiments and simulations, the triple-stimuli-chromic mechanisms of strain-induced surface structure deformations, wettability-controlled reflective index matches, and thermal-responsive nanostructural resonances, respectively are revealed. Besides a good energy-saving performance, the robust method shows several advantages: 1) independent energy-saving and privacy functionalities, 2) an additional hydro-/solvato-chromic mode to control privacy in extreme circumstances, and 3) designable patterns and colors to meet high aesthetic demand. The work may inspire the future development of multifunctional smart windows and spatio-temporal light control methods.

KW - building energy

KW - energy saving

KW - functional elastomers

KW - hydrochromism

KW - mechanochromism

KW - smart windows

KW - thermochromism

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DO - 10.1002/adfm.202305998

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

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SN - 1616-301X

VL - 33

JO - Advanced Functional Materials

JF - Advanced Functional Materials

IS - 46

M1 - 2305998

ER -

Bio-Inspired, Scalable, and Tri-Mode Stimuli-Chromic Composite for Smart Window Multifunctionality

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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