Energy‐Management Smart Windows Enabled by Molecularly Tailored <scp>PDLC</scp> Films

ABSTRACT Polymer‐dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) have emerged as a promising solution for smart windows due to their ability to switch between opaque and transparent states when subjected to an electric field. However, traditional PDLC often encounters challenges such as high driving voltages, slow response times, and poor optical clarity, which limit their practical applications. In this study, we propose a molecular engineering strategy to modify the structure of polymerizable monomers, optimizing the microstructure of the polymer film and thereby enhancing its electro‐optical performance. Additionally, the film demonstrates excellent light modulation ability in the solar range, with transmittance values of T lum = 76.73% and T sol = 66.88%. Furthermore, due to the abundant chemical bonds within the film and its microporous structure, it exhibits a high emissivity of approximately 91% in the atmospheric window (8–13 μm). Sunlight simulation tests indicated that the indoor temperature decreased by 5°C compared with ordinary glass during the same exposure period. MATLAB simulations revealed that the maximum cooling power reached 60.17 W/m 2 /K during the daytime and 109.63 W/m 2 /K at night. This work provides valuable insights and ideas for the development of energy‐efficient and environmentally friendly smart windows.

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Publication Details

Journal
Polymers for Advanced Technologies
Published
2025-08-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/pat.70313
Primary Topic
Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Energy‐Management Smart Windows Enabled by Molecularly Tailored PDLC Films

Tao Yu, Meina Yu, Z. Y. Zhang, Yanzi Gao et al.
5 links
Polymers for Advanced Technologies
Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials
article

Energy‐Management Smart Windows Enabled by Molecularly Tailored PDLC Films

Tao Yu, Meina Yu, Z. Y. Zhang, Yanzi Gao, Huai Yang, Yingjie Shi, Cheng Zou, F. Jing, Foxin Zhou, Luoning Zhang
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT Polymer‐dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC) have emerged as a promising solution for smart windows due to their ability to switch between opaque and transparent states when subjected to an electric field. However, traditional PDLC often encounters challenges such as high driving voltages, slow response times, and poor optical clarity, which limit their practical applications. In this study, we propose a molecular engineering strategy to modify the structure of polymerizable monomers, optimizing the microstructure of the polymer film and thereby enhancing its electro‐optical performance. Additionally, the film demonstrates excellent light modulation ability in the solar range, with transmittance values of T lum = 76.73% and T sol = 66.88%. Furthermore, due to the abundant chemical bonds within the film and its microporous structure, it exhibits a high emissivity of approximately 91% in the atmospheric window (8–13 μm). Sunlight simulation tests indicated that the indoor temperature decreased by 5°C compared with ordinary glass during the same exposure period. MATLAB simulations revealed that the maximum cooling power reached 60.17 W/m 2 /K during the daytime and 109.63 W/m 2 /K at night. This work provides valuable insights and ideas for the development of energy‐efficient and environmentally friendly smart windows.

Polymers for Advanced TechnologiesVol. 36(8)
Peking University (CN), University of Science and Technology Beijing (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Openalex Percentile: Top 82%
Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials
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Energy‐Management Smart Windows Enabled by Molecularly Tailored <scp>PDLC</scp> Films — Tao Yu, Meina Yu, et al. · Polymers for Advanced Technologies (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS