Inkjet Printed Large Area Multifunctional Smart Windows
TL;DR: In this article, a multifunctional smart window is successfully fabricated by assembling inkjet printed CeO2/TiO2 and WO3/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) films as the anode and cathode, respectively.
Abstract: Multifunctional smart windows are successfully fabricated by assembling inkjet printed CeO2/TiO2 and WO3/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) films as the anode and cathode, respectively. Large optical modulation (more than 70% at 633 nm), fast switching (12.7/15.8 s), high coloration efficiency (108.9 cm2 C−1), and excellent bistability are achieved by the assembled smart windows. The multifunctional smart window not only can be used as typical electrochromic window, which can change its color to dynamically control the solar radiation transmittance through windows or protect privacy during the day, but also can be used as energy-storage device simultaneously. The designed smart window releases the stored energy to light the bulbs and power other electronic devices at night while its color gradually reverts to transparent state. Moreover, the level of stored energy can be monitored via the visually detectable reversible color variation of the window. The fascinating multifunctional smart windows exhibit promising features for a wide range of applications in buildings, airplanes, automobiles, etc.
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TL;DR: In this article, a review of recent progress in smart windows of each category is overviewed with particular focus on functional materials, device design, and performance enhancement, followed by a discussion of emerging technologies such as dual stimuli triggered smart window and integrated devices toward multifunctionality.
Abstract: Smart window refers to the on-demand window that can dynamically modulate light transmittance. It is recognized as a promising technology to economize building energy A smart window that dynamically modulates light transmittance is crucial for building energy efficiently, and promising for on-demand optical devices. The rapid development of technology brings out different categories that have fundamentally different transmittance modulation mechanisms, including the electro-, thermo-, mechano-, and photochromic smart windows. In this review, recent progress in smart windows of each category is overviewed. The strategies for each smart window are outlined with particular focus on functional materials, device design, and performance enhancement. The advantages and disadvantages of each category are summarized, followed by a discussion of emerging technologies such as dual stimuli triggered smart window and integrated devices toward multifunctionality. These multifunctional devices combine smart window technology with, for example, solar cells, triboelectric nanogenerators, actuators, energy storage devices, and electrothermal devices. Lastly, a perspective is provided on the future development of smart windows. Smart Windows
375 citations
TL;DR: printed electronics represents a paradigm shift in the manufacturing of supercapacitors in that it provides a whole range of simple, low-cost, time-saving, versatile and environmentally-friendly manufacturing technologies for supercapACitors with new and desirable structures (micro-, asymmetric, flexible, etc.), thus unleashing the full potential of super capacitors for future electronics.
Abstract: Supercapacitors hold great promise for future electronic systems that are moving towards being flexible, portable, and highly integrated, due to their superior power density, stability and cycle lives. Printed electronics represents a paradigm shift in the manufacturing of supercapacitors in that it provides a whole range of simple, low-cost, time-saving, versatile and environmentally-friendly manufacturing technologies for supercapacitors with new and desirable structures (micro-, asymmetric, flexible, etc.), thus unleashing the full potential of supercapacitors for future electronics. In this review, we start by introducing the structural features of printed supercapacitors, followed by a summary of materials related to printed supercapacitors, including electrodes, electrolytes, current collectors and substrates; then the approaches to improve the performance of printed supercapacitors by tuning printing processes are discussed; next a summary of the recent developments of printed supercapacitors is given in terms of specific printing methods utilized; finally, challenges and future research opportunities of this exciting research direction are presented.
319 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review of emerging thermoresponsive materials for smart window applications, including hydrogels, ionic liquids, perovskites, metamaterials, and liquid crystals, is presented.
Abstract: Architectural windows that smartly regulate indoor solar radiation by changing their optical transmittance in response to thermo-stimuli have been developed as a promising solution toward reducing the energy consumption of buildings. Recently, energy-efficient smart window technology has attracted increasing scientific interest, with the exploration of energyefficient novel materials as well as integration with practical techniques to generate various desired multi-functionalities. This review systematically summarizes emerging thermoresponsive materials for smart window applications, including hydrogels, ionic liquids, perovskites, metamaterials, and liquid crystals. These are compared with vanadium dioxide (VO2), a conventional and extensively studied material for thermochromic smart window applications. In addition, recent progress on cutting-edge integrated techniques for smart windows is covered, including electro-thermal techniques, self-cleaning, wettability and also
298 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a review describes recent developments in the synthesis of viologen-based electrochromes with co-redox species and their ECD performance, which includes the incorporation of conducting polymers in the device set-up and/or the addition of complementary redox species.
Abstract: Considerable interest is raised by organic materials owing to their exceptional performance in electronic and optoelectronic applications. Among these, electrochromic materials (EC) that can be switched between a distinct color and a bleached state exhibiting high contrast, multicolor and improved long-term stability are attractive in the fabrication of electrochromic devices (ECDs). Ionic materials, in particular, have received persistent attention owing to their tunable optical and electronic properties. 4,4′-Bipyridinium salts, commonly called viologens (V2+), are a well-recognized class of electrochromic materials that exhibit three reversible redox states, namely, V2+ (dication, pale yellow colored/colorless) ↔ V+˙ (radical cation, violet/blue/green) ↔ V0 (neutral, colorless). The electrochromic properties of these materials can be modulated by varying the nitrogen substituents on the pyridyl ‘N’; also, besides this, varying the counter ions with specific functionalities has been shown to enhance the electrochromic behavior, such as switching time, cycling stability and device performance. Although ECDs based on viologens are well regarded for their low operational voltages, they exhibit certain disadvantages such as low cycle life and poor efficiency of the device in the long term. Extensive efforts have been made to fine tune the EC properties of viologens, either through alteration or by adding suitable electrochromic counter electrode materials, which includes the incorporation of conducting polymers in the device set-up and/or the addition of complementary redox species. Optimization of the device parameters has shown that the addition of such external agents has a positive effect on the overall device performance. This review describes recent developments in the synthesis of viologen-based electrochromes with co-redox species and their ECD performance.
235 citations
TL;DR: Enhanced Zn2+ intercalation is demonstrated in Ti-substituted tungsten molybdenum oxide, yielding improved capacity and electrochromic performance, and these batteries can be charged by external voltages and self-recharged by spontaneously extracting Zn1+ , providing a new technology for practical electro chromic devices.
Abstract: Batteries are used in every facet of human lives. Desirable battery architectures demand high capacity, rechargeability, rapid charging speed, and cycling stability, all within an environmentally friendly platform. Many applications are limited by opaque batteries; thus, new functionalities can be unlocked by introducing transparent battery architectures. This can be achieved by incorporating electrochromic and energy storage functions. Transparent electrochromic batteries enable new applications, including variable optical attenuators, optical switches, addressable displays, touch screen devices, and most importantly smart windows for energy-efficient buildings. However, this technology is in the incipient state due to limited electrochromic materials having satisfactory optical contrast and capacity. As such, triggering electrochromism via Zn2+ intercalation is advantageous: Zn is abundant, safe, easily processed in aqueous electrolytes and provides two electrons during redox reactions. Here, enhanced Zn2+ intercalation is demonstrated in Ti-substituted tungsten molybdenum oxide, yielding improved capacity and electrochromic performance. This technique is employed to engineer cathodes exhibiting an areal capacity of 260 mAh m-2 and high optical contrast (76%), utilized in the fabrication of aqueous Zn-ion electrochromic batteries. Remarkably, these batteries can be charged by external voltages and self-recharged by spontaneously extracting Zn2+ , providing a new technology for practical electrochromic devices.
183 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed available information concerning energy consumption in buildings, and particularly related to HVAC systems, and compared different types of building types and end uses in different countries.
5,288 citations
TL;DR: The high performance of Au-CeO2 and Au-TiO2 catalysts in the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (H2O + CO→H2 + CO2) relies heavily on the direct participation of the oxide in the catalytic process.
Abstract: The high performance of Au-CeO2 and Au-TiO2 catalysts in the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (H2O + CO-->H2 + CO2) relies heavily on the direct participation of the oxide in the catalytic process. Although clean Au(111) is not catalytically active for the WGS, gold surfaces that are 20 to 30% covered by ceria or titania nanoparticles have activities comparable to those of good WGS catalysts such as Cu(111) or Cu(100). In TiO(2-x)/Au(111) and CeO(2-x)/Au(111), water dissociates on O vacancies of the oxide nanoparticles, CO adsorbs on Au sites located nearby, and subsequent reaction steps take place at the metal-oxide interface. In these inverse catalysts, the moderate chemical activity of bulk gold is coupled to that of a more reactive oxide.
864 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a study of the core-electron X-ray photoelectron (X-p) spectra of the f0 compounds La2O3, LaMO3(M = Fe and Co), CeO2, and BaCeO3 is described.
Abstract: A study of the core-electron X-ray photoelectron (X-p.e.) spectra of the f0 compounds La2O3, LaMO3(M = Fe and Co), CeO2, and BaCeO3 is described. Results on the chelate species [La(tmhd)3] and [Ce(tmhd)4](tmhd = 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dionato) are included for comparison. Special precautions have been taken to ensure an optimal degree of surface purity of the samples. Satellite structure has been observed for the 4p, in addition to the 3d and 4d, signals in both the lanthanum(III) and cerium(IV) compounds. These satellites arc discussed in terms of coexcitations of the charge-transfer type, principally O 2p→ metal 4f transitions. In the cerium(IV) oxides the satellites are apparently due to energy-gain (representing ‘ shake-down ’) rather than energy-loss (shake-up) processes.
841 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a detailed review of the state-of-the-art for electrochromics and its applications in smart windows and provide ample references to current literature of particular relevance.
801 citations
TL;DR: This work introduces tin-doped indium oxide nanocrystals into niobium oxide glass (NbOx), and realizes a new amorphous structure as a consequence of linking it to the nanocry crystals, which demonstrates a previously unrealized optical switching behaviour that will enable the dynamic control of solar radiation transmittance through windows.
Abstract: Amorphous metal oxides are useful in optical, electronic and electrochemical devices. The bonding arrangement within these glasses largely determines their properties, yet it remains a challenge to manipulate their structures in a controlled manner. Recently, we developed synthetic protocols for incorporating nanocrystals that are covalently bonded into amorphous materials. This 'nanocrystal-in-glass' approach not only combines two functional components in one material, but also the covalent link enables us to manipulate the glass structure to change its properties. Here we illustrate the power of this approach by introducing tin-doped indium oxide nanocrystals into niobium oxide glass (NbOx), and realize a new amorphous structure as a consequence of linking it to the nanocrystals. The resulting material demonstrates a previously unrealized optical switching behaviour that will enable the dynamic control of solar radiation transmittance through windows. These transparent films can block near-infrared and visible light selectively and independently by varying the applied electrochemical voltage over a range of 2.5 volts. We also show that the reconstructed NbOx glass has superior properties-its optical contrast is enhanced fivefold and it has excellent electrochemical stability, with 96 per cent of charge capacity retained after 2,000 cycles.
732 citations