Pairing of Luminescent Switch with Electrochromism for Quasi-Solid-State Dual-Function Smart Windows

Smart window is a promising green technology with feature of tunable transparency under external stimuli to manage light transmission and solar energy. However, more functions based on the intelligent management of the solar spectrum need to be integrated into present smart windows. In this work, a dual-function smart window is fabricated by pairing the luminescent switch with the electrochromic window. The dual function is based on a single fluorine doped tin oxide coated glass functionalized with tungsten oxide and copper nanocluster, among which tungsten oxide serves as an electrochromic material and copper nanocluster provides photoinduced luminescence. Along with the regulation of the visible light based on the electrochromism of the window, the luminescence can be finely switched on and off, which establishes a pair of reversible states (“on” and “off”) for the dual-function smart window. The contrast between two states reaches 88%. Furthermore, the manipulation of dual-function smart window is highly reversible with a short response time of 12.6 s. This prototype of dual-function smart window paves the way for developing multifunctional smart windows by integrating different functional materials into one smart window based on the rational management of the solar spectrum.