Photo- and Thermochromic Dual-Responsive Materials: A Review on Design Strategies and Applications in Smart Windows

doi:10.15541/jim20250361

Abstract

Abstract: With the continuous growth of the global population and the accelerated advancement of industrialization, energy consumption within the construction sector has been rising steadily. Energy conservation and consumption reduction have become a key task for the construction field to achieve the "dual carbon" goals. As a central component for photothermal exchange within buildings, the thermal insulation and daylighting performance of windows directly determine the energy consumption for regulating the indoor thermal environment, and play a decisive role in the overall energy-saving efficiency of buildings. Traditional energy-saving windows are limited by their static structure, rendering them ill-suited to adapt to changing environment. Smart windows with single-stimulus response, characterized by their singular regulation mode, cannot meet the diversified energy-saving demands. In contrast, photo-thermal dual-responsive smart windows can simultaneously and accurately respond to changes in external light intensity and temperature, realizing dynamic and coordinated regulation of light transmission and heat conduction. This innovation provides an effective solution for building energy conservation. This review systematically summarizes the latest research progress of photo-thermal dual-responsive materials and their smart windows, focusing on three core design strategies: first, single-component photo-thermal dual-responsive materials with functional synergy; second, photo-thermal dual-responsive multi-component composites integrating photochromic and thermochromic properties; third, coupled systems of photothermal materials and thermochromic materials. For each strategy, the design concept, microstructural characteristics, and photo-thermal dual-responsive color-changing mechanism are elaborated in detail. Meanwhile, the application potential of photo-thermal dual-responsive smart windows in actual building scenarios is deeply discussed, the current technical challenges are systematically analyzed, and the future development prospects are prospected. This paper aims to provide comprehensive theoretical references and practical guidance for the structural design optimization, performance improvement, and engineering development of photo-thermal dual-responsive smart windows, thereby promoting the innovation and industrial upgrading of building energy-saving technologies.

Key words: photochromic, thermochromic, dual-responsive materials, smart windows, zero-energy buildings, review

CLC Number:

TB34

CHEN Mingjun, MIAO Hongkang, XIAO Yingjun, DENG Jianbo, ZHANG Xiang, ZHAO Jiupeng, LI Yao. Photo- and Thermochromic Dual-Responsive Materials: A Review on Design Strategies and Applications in Smart Windows[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, DOI: 10.15541/jim20250361.

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