Scalable Photochromic Film for Solar Heat and Daylight Management

Weihao Meng; Augustinus J J Kragt; Yingtao Gao; Eleonora Brembilla; Xiaowen Hu; Julia S van der Burgt; Albertus P H J Schenning; Tillmann Klein; Guofu Zhou; Eric R van den Ham; Longfei Tan; Laifeng Li; Jingxia Wang; Lei Jiang

doi:10.1002/adma.202304910

Scalable Photochromic Film for Solar Heat and Daylight Management

Adv Mater. 2024 Feb;36(5):e2304910. doi: 10.1002/adma.202304910. Epub 2023 Dec 5.

Authors

Weihao Meng^{1

2}, Augustinus J J Kragt^{3

4}, Yingtao Gao^{1

2}, Eleonora Brembilla³, Xiaowen Hu⁵, Julia S van der Burgt⁴, Albertus P H J Schenning⁶, Tillmann Klein³, Guofu Zhou^{5

4}, Eric R van den Ham³, Longfei Tan⁷, Laifeng Li⁷, Jingxia Wang^{1

2

8}, Lei Jiang^{1

8}

Affiliations

¹ CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfaces Sciences, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
² Center of Material Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, School of Future Technologies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101407, China.
³ Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, Delft, 2628 BL, The Netherlands.
⁴ ClimAd Technology, Valkenaerhof 68, Nijmegen, 6538 TE, The Netherlands.
⁵ Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology, Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
⁶ Laboratory of Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials & Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, Eindhoven, 5600 MB, The Netherlands.
⁷ CAS Key Laboratory of Cryogenics, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China.
⁸ Binzhou Institute of Technology, Weiqiao-UCAS Science and Technology Park, Bingzhou, Shandong, 256606, China.

PMID: 37926960
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202304910

Abstract

The adaptive control of sunlight through photochromic smart windows could have a huge impact on the energy efficiency and daylight comfort in buildings. However, the fabrication of inorganic nanoparticle and polymer composite photochromic films with a high contrast ratio and high transparency/low haze remains a challenge. Here, a solution method is presented for the in situ growth of copper-doped tungsten trioxide nanoparticles in polymethyl methacrylate, which allows a low-cost preparation of photochromic films with a high luminous transparency (luminous transmittance T_lum = 91%) and scalability (30 × 350 cm² ). High modulation of visible light (ΔT_lum = 73%) and solar heat (modulation of solar transmittance ΔT_sol = 73%, modulation of solar heat gain coefficient ΔSHGC = 0.5) of the film improves the indoor daylight comfort and energy efficiency. Simulation results show that low-e windows with the photochromic film applied can greatly enhance the energy efficiency and daylight comfort. This photochromic film presents an attractive strategy for achieving more energy-efficient buildings and carbon neutrality to combat global climate change.

Keywords: daylight comfort; energy saving; photochromicity; scalability; smart windows; transparency; tungsten trioxide.

Abstract

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