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Hybrid thermochromic hydrogels based on HPC/PVA for smart windows with enhanced solar modulation

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Abstract

Energy-saving smart windows could reduce building energy consumption by dynamically regulating solar transmission without consuming additional energy. However, current thermochromic smart windows based on hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) are still facing challenges, such as low durability and unsatisfactory in regulating the solar infrared region. To expand hydrogels' modulation ability of infrared region, hydrogels with temperature-sensitive properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and HPC were prepared and applied in thermochromic smart windows areal. The HPC-PVA hydrogels have an ultra-high luminous transmission in the visible light rather than infrared light regions, blocking most of the sunlight when the temperature increases, thus greatly enhancing the solar modulating ability (∆Tsol) and infrared transmittance modulation (∆TIR). The 4 wt.% PVA doped in HPC exhibits the best solar modulation ability (∆TIR, (20–50 °C) 5.5%, ΔTsol, (20–50 °C) 19.4% and Tlum, 20 °C 91.3%). In addition, these high-performance and temperature-sensitive materials have a high repetition and durability. The hydrogels could obtain adjusting broadband sunlight smart windows with sandwich structure glasses.

Graphic abstract

Hybrid thermochromic hydrogels HPC-PVA were designed by one-step hydrothermal method categories. The hydrogels could increase the temperature-responsive of smart hydrogels, enhance solar modulation and have high luminous transmission.

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Acknowledgement

Yuqin Feng and Ming Yang contributed equally to this work. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Wuhan Textile University (Grant No: 017/195014, 017/212061J, 017/202127 and 017/194019021; Hubei Superior and Distinctive Discipline Group of “Mechatronics and Automobiles” (Grant No: No. XKQ2019009). We gratefully acknowledge the help of Dr. Longyi’s group in Nanyang Technological University with the progress of the video shooting.

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  1. Yuqin Feng and Ming Yang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430073, China

    Yuqin Feng, Ming Yang, Yanbo Zhang, Haiyan Ju, Gang Zhang, Wenxia Ma, Yaqi Wu, Yunzi Yu & Yongsheng Yang

  2. Hubei Key Laboratory of Biomass Fibers and Eco-dyeing and Finishing, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430073, China

    Yuqin Feng, Ming Yang, Haiyan Ju, Gang Zhang, Wenxia Ma, Yaqi Wu, Yunzi Yu & Yongsheng Yang

  3. Hubei Key Laboratory of Power System Design and Test for Electrical Vehicle, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053, China

    Dezheng Liu

  4. Key Laboratory of Natural Medicine and Immuno-Engineering of Henan Province, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China

    Hongjun Liu

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  1. Yuqin Feng
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  2. Ming Yang
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Correspondence to Yongsheng Yang or Dezheng Liu.

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Feng, Y., Yang, M., Zhang, Y. et al. Hybrid thermochromic hydrogels based on HPC/PVA for smart windows with enhanced solar modulation. J Chem Sci 134, 24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-021-02024-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-021-02024-y

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