Stable and scalable smart window based on polymer stabilized liquid crystals
Corresponding Author
Xiaowen Hu
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Correspondence to: X. Hu (E-mail: [email protected]); X.-F. Jiang (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorXinmin Zhang
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorWenmin Yang
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xiao-Fang Jiang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Correspondence to: X. Hu (E-mail: [email protected]); X.-F. Jiang (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorXinshuai Jiang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorLaurens T. de Haan
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorDong Yuan
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorWei Zhao
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorNan Zheng
State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorMingliang Jin
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorLingling Shui
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorAlbertus P. H. J. Schenning
Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Functional Organic Materials and Devices, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for more papers by this authorGuofu Zhou
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518110 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xiaowen Hu
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Correspondence to: X. Hu (E-mail: [email protected]); X.-F. Jiang (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorXinmin Zhang
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorWenmin Yang
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Xiao-Fang Jiang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Correspondence to: X. Hu (E-mail: [email protected]); X.-F. Jiang (E-mail: [email protected])Search for more papers by this authorXinshuai Jiang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorLaurens T. de Haan
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorDong Yuan
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorWei Zhao
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorNan Zheng
State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorMingliang Jin
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorLingling Shui
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology & Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorAlbertus P. H. J. Schenning
Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Functional Organic Materials and Devices, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for more papers by this authorGuofu Zhou
SCNU-TUE Joint Lab of Device Integrated Responsive Materials (DIRM) and National Center for International Research on Green Optoelectronics, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 People's Republic of China
Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518110 People's Republic of China
Search for more papers by this authorABSTRACT
A stable and scalable polymer-stabilized liquid crystal window which electrically switches from transparent to opaque has been fabricated. Scanning electron microscope measurement shows that higher polymer concentration will induce denser polymer network in polymer stabilized liquid crystal system and then stronger anchoring force between polymer network and liquid crystal molecules, which resulting in larger operating voltage. The cell with larger cell gap has a lower saturated transmittance in the voltage-on state, which attributed to a larger number of scattering domains in thick cell. The optimized cell exhibits a highly transparent voltage-off state (3.5% haze) and a voltage-on scattering state (98% haze) with the threshold voltage of around 20 V. The durability test shows that the optical device switches at least 100,000 times without degradation of optical contrast and shows a high temperature tolerance. Meanwhile, a 40 × 50 cm2 window has been developed in an industrial production line showing the same optical properties. Our results demonstrate the fabrication of smart windows with a highly transparent rest state and high optical contrast on a commercial mass production scale, making them attractive for applications in buildings, automobiles, and switchable sunglasses for light management and potentially energy saving. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48917.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare no potential conflict of interest.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| app48917-sup-0001-FigureS1.pdfPDF document, 408.1 KB | Figure S1 Generation 2.5(G 2.5, size 40x50 cm2) industrial production line in clean room. |
| app48917-sup-0001-VideoS1.mp4MPEG-4 video, 1.4 MB | Video S1 Supporting information |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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