Warm/cool-tone switchable thermochromic material for smart windows by orthogonally integrating properties of pillar[6]arene and ferrocene

Sai Wang,Ying-Zhong Shen,Tingting Wang,Leyong Wang,Zuqiang Xu,Tangxin Xiao,Xiao-Yu Hu

doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03827-3

Abstract

Functional materials play a vital role in the fabrication of smart windows, which can provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans to enjoy a better lifestyle. Traditional materials for smart windows tend to possess only a single functionality with the purpose of regulating the input of solar energy. However, different color tones also have great influences on human emotions. Herein, a strategy for orthogonal integration of different properties is proposed, namely the thermo-responsiveness of ethylene glycol-modified pillar[6]arene (EGP6) and the redox-induced reversible color switching of ferrocene/ferrocenium groups are orthogonally integrated into one system. This gives rise to a material with cooperative and non-interfering dual functions, featuring both thermochromism and warm/cool tone-switchability. Consequently, the obtained bifunctional material for fabricating smart windows can not only regulate the input of solar energy but also can provide a more comfortable color tone to improve the feelings and emotions of people in indoor environments.

Highlights

Functional materials play a vital role in the fabrication of smart windows, which can provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans to enjoy a better lifestyle
When a mixture of ethylene glycol-modified pillar[6]arene (EGP6) and mPEG-Fc with a 1:1 mole ratio was dissolved in D2O, the peaks for protons on EGP6 were shifted to low field, with the most significant downfield chemical shift observed for the aromatic protons HA (Δδ = 0.14 ppm)
We have orthogonally integrated the unique properties of pillar[6]arene and ferrocene based on host–guest interaction to develop a warm/cool tone-switchable thermochromic material for the fabrication of smart windows

Summary

Introduction

Functional materials play a vital role in the fabrication of smart windows, which can provide a more comfortable indoor environment for humans to enjoy a better lifestyle. A strategy for orthogonal integration of different properties is proposed, namely the thermo-responsiveness of ethylene glycol-modified pillar[6]arene (EGP6) and the redox-induced reversible color switching of ferrocene/ferrocenium groups are orthogonally integrated into one system This gives rise to a material with cooperative and non-interfering dual functions, featuring both thermochromism and warm/cool toneswitchability. The obtained bifunctional material for fabricating smart windows can regulate the input of solar energy and can provide a more comfortable color tone to improve the feelings and emotions of people in indoor environments. Orthogonal self-assembly refers to an integration strategy of two or more types of non-covalent interactions with high specificity and selectivity[35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42] Using this orthogonal strategy, various types of supramolecular complexes (such as ligand-receptor, host–guest) have been applied for the fabrication of smart and functional materials based on supramolecular polymers. A well-swollen and high transparent hydrogel (Fc-gel∙EGP6) is obtained when the Fc-gel is immersed in the CH2CH x H2N O

Methods

Results

Conclusion