Lin Chongjia, Hur Jun, Chao Christopher Y H, Liu Gongze, Yao Shuhuai, Li Weihong, Huang Baoling
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Sci Adv. 2022 Apr 29;8(17):eabn7359. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abn7359.
Adaptive control of solar and thermal radiation through windows is of pivotal importance for building energy saving. However, such synchronous passive regulations are challenging to be integrated into one thermochromic window. Here, we develop a solar and thermal regulatory (STR) window by integrating poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) into pNIPAm/AgNW composites. A hitherto unexplored mechanism, originating from the temperature-triggered water capture and release due to pNIPAm phase transition, is exploited to achieve simultaneous regulations of solar transmission and thermal emission. The STR window shows excellent solar modulation (58.4%) and thermal modulation (57.1%) and demonstrates effective regulation of indoor temperatures during both daytime and nighttime. Compared to other thermochromic technologies, the STR window reduces heat loss in cold environment while promotes heat dissipation in hot conditions, achieving efficient energy saving in all weathers. This dual solar and thermal regulation mechanism may provide unidentified insights into the advancement of smart window technology.
通过窗户对太阳辐射和热辐射进行自适应控制对于建筑节能至关重要。然而，将这种同步被动调节集成到一个热致变色窗户中具有挑战性。在此，我们通过将聚（N-异丙基丙烯酰胺）（pNIPAm）和银纳米线（AgNWs）整合到pNIPAm/AgNW复合材料中来开发一种太阳和热调节（STR）窗户。利用一种迄今为止尚未探索的机制，该机制源于pNIPAm相变引起的温度触发的水捕获和释放，以实现太阳透射率和热发射的同步调节。该STR窗户显示出优异的太阳调制率（58.4%）和热调制率（57.1%），并在白天和夜间均能有效调节室内温度。与其他热致变色技术相比，STR窗户在寒冷环境中减少热损失，而在炎热条件下促进散热，在所有天气条件下实现高效节能。这种双重太阳和热调节机制可能为智能窗户技术的进步提供未被发现的见解。
