am0c00300_si_001.pdf (1.36 MB)
Low-Cost, Robust Pressure-Responsive Smart Windows with Dynamic Switchable Transmittance
journal contribution
posted on 2020-03-19, 18:38 authored by Xin Wang, Mingtong Li, Dan Wang, Hui Zhang, Ruomeng Duan, Dafeng Zhang, Bo Song, Bin DongMechanically responsive
smart windows with adjustable light transmittance
have attracted more and more attention due to their great potential
in our daily life. However, their fabrication normally requires complicated
preparation such as oxygen plasma treatment and high-cost materials
(i.e., poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)), which hinders their practical
applications. Herein, a principally different mechanically responsive
smart window, i.e., a pressure-responsive smart window, is reported,
which is achieved by harnessing the synergistic interactions (i.e.,
hydrogen bonding and surface roughness compensation) between the two
constituent parts, i.e., hydrogel and agar films. The pressure-responsive
smart window features the ultrafast response time (37.5 ms) and high
transmittance changes (∼50%) with excellent repeatability,
which can be stained with different colors and operated on a flexible
substrate. Since the pressure-responsive smart window enables the
utilization of the low-cost material and does not require the external
energy input, it is anticipated that it may have great potential in
practical applications.