High Light Transmittance Research Articles

A novel poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylamide) copolymer for the fabrication of transparent antifogging coatings on polycarbonate substrates

Although polycarbonate (PC) is widely used in various applications, its inherent hydrophobicity limits its potential in applications that require high light transmittance due to surface fog caused by changes in temperature or humidity in the environment. This work presents a facile method to fabricate transparent antifogging coatings on PC substrates based on poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylamide-co-2-aminoethyl methacrylate) (P(HEAA-co-AEMA)), in which the AEMA segments have an amino functional group that can react with the ester group on the surface of the PC substrate to form covalent urethane bonds during the heat curing process, avoiding the problems of coating susceptibility to mechanical damage, ease of peeling, etc. Moreover, HEAA units are employed as hydrophilic groups, providing antifogging performance. These antifogging coatings can be easily obtained by coating P(HEAA-co-AEMA) copolymers on PC substrates at room temperature and then curing them by thermal treatment. These transparent coatings exhibited excellent antifogging and self-cleaning performance. Furthermore, the coatings exhibited good adhesion in the cross-cut test and thermal stability in the hot water resistance test. Therefore, the present P(HEAA-co-AEMA) copolymer coatings are promising for practical antifogging applications.

Preparation and Characterization of Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvents Ionic Conductive Elastomers

To investigate the influence of different molar ratios of raw materials on the performance of Ionic Conductive Elastomers (ICE) based on Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvents (PDES), this study employed a UV-initiated in-situ polymerization method. Polymerizable Deep Eutectic Solvents, synthesized by Choline chloride -acrylic acid with molar ratios of 1:1.7, 1:1.6, and 1:1.5, served as raw materials for the preparation of ionic conductive elastomers. Various modern instruments were employed to analyze and test their properties. The results indicate that as the molar ratio of acrylic acid in the raw materials decreases, the conductivity of the ionic conductive elastomers doubles (reaching 0.838 mS·m-1), but their mechanical properties are somewhat affected. Furthermore, UV testing demonstrates high light transmittance and UV shielding advantages. This suggests that adjusting the performance of ICE by controlling the molar ratio of raw materials can meet the requirements of different applications.

Luminescent Perovskite-Cross-Linked Polymer with Low Shrinkage and Excellent Stability.

When organic cross-linked polymers are combined with metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) for realizing luminescent perovskite-polymer display materials, the stability of PNCs is enhanced and their shrinkage is suppressed. This work presents a feasible strategy for preparing CsPbBr3 nanocrystals (NCs) within a polydicyclopentadiene (PDCPD) thermosetting cross-linked resin matrix simultaneously via a one-step reaction. The obtained PDCPD@PNCs composite exhibits narrow peak half-widths (15-20 nm), high light transmittance (80%), low curing volume shrinkage (1.4%), tunable tensile properties, excellent stability, and a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 44.3%. The composite material exhibits long-term stability in water, acid, and base solutions for over 90 days, with the PL intensity being maintained at over 90%. Furthermore, the composite is highly resistant to polar organic solvents owing to the insolubility imparted by cross-linking. White LEDs (WLED) fabricated using the as-prepared composite demonstrate excellent potential as light sources in optical devices.

PMMA@TiO2@SiO2 Composite Microsphere with Sufficiently High Light Transmittance and Haze for Promising Application in Optical Diffusion Film

PMMA@TiO₂@SiO₂ Composite Microsphere with Sufficiently High Light Transmittance and Haze for Promising Application in Optical Diffusion Film

Fabrication and Characterization of Nanostructured Tin doped Indium Oxide Coatings by the Instrument of Spray Pyrolysis

Nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) coating is one of the transparent conductive oxides (TCO) materials utilized as a transparent electrode. Due to its high demand in various applications like liquid crystal displays, touch screens, light emitting devices, and solar cells, ITO coatings have garnered significant research attention, owing to their excellent properties of high visible light transmittance and low resistance. Nanostructured coating of tin -doped Indium Oxide (ITO) was fabricated on glass slides utilizing the instrument of chemical spray pyrolysis (CSP), with varying levels of Sn-doping at 0, 3, 6, and 9 wt%. The effect of tin content on the many physical characteristics of the resulting coatings has been examined. The analysis of x-ray diffraction (XRD) displayed the characteristic orientations. The coatings have a polycrystalline cubic lattice structure along (400) as the preferred growth direction. Morphological measurements indicate that the samples possess a highly uniform surface and the grain size for the ITO samples is 100 nm displaying a nanostructure for all samples. The optical transmittance was measured over 75% for coating with tin content equal to 0wt%, while the transmittance of the Sn-doped films can range from 78% to 84% at 700 nm and the values of the direct bandgap were measured as 3.6, 3.65, 3.675, and 3.7eV for Sn doping 0, 3, 6, and 9 wt% respectively. In the visible area, the nanostructured ITO coatings exhibit elevated values of transmittance which makes them suitable for various optoelectronic applications such as window materials in solar cells. The results indicate a desirable reduction in the electrical resistivity with rising the number of carriers per unit volume and mobility with increasing tin content in the samples. The minimum electrical resistivity and maximum carrier concentration were achieved for ITO coating with tin content equal to 9wt%. The incorporation of Sn dopant significantly changes the overall electrical properties of indium oxide films, this is favorable for transparent conducting oxide.

Synthesis of lignin-based resin and fabrication of sustainable transparent wood based on bio-recycling concept

Transparent wood (TW) has attracted much attention in the field of energy saving building structural materials because of its high light transmittance, good thermal insulation performance and good toughness. However, the polymeric resins used in the present study to impregnate lignin-based wood templates are usually derived from petroleum-based chemical resources, which pose a fatal threat to human beings both in terms of consuming large amounts of resources and causing environmental pollution problems. It is therefore important to develop alternatives to petroleum-derived chemicals in renewable natural resources. Here, we report a green and sustainable TW production process based on the bio-recycling concept. Lignin-based sustainable resin (LSR) was prepared from waste lignin produced during delignification by polymerization of guaiacol. At the same time, according to FT-IR and NMR data analysis combined with previous studies, the synthesis mechanism of LSR was proposed, and this result provided a reference for bio-based resins made from biomass materials. The prepared lignin-based sustainable transparent wood (LSTW) has good light transmittance and good dimensional stability. In addition, the LSTW also shows good thermal insulation and indoor temperature regulation capabilities compared with the common glass.

Study on flame retardant properties and thermal stability of synergistically modified polyurethane foam with ammonium polyphosphate and barium phytate

Abstract Barium phytate (Pa–Ba) was prepared by phytic acid and barium carbonate, and then the flame-retardant modified polyurethane foam (PUF) was synergized with Pa–Ba and ammonium polyphosphate (APP). The flame retardant properties and thermal stability of the modified PUFs were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimetry (CONE) and smoke density (Ds). The results showed the modified PUF with the addition of 5 % Pa–Ba and 10 % APP (PUF-A10-PB5) had the highest integral programmed decomposition temperature and the activation energy, indicating that its thermal stability was better compared with other samples. In addition, PUF-A10-PB5 had the lowest total heat release under different radiation intensities, and it had the smallest Ds and the highest light transmittance under the flame and flameless condition. The current results indicated that PUF-A10-PB5 had better flame-retardant properties and thermal stability, which can provide a useful reference for future experimental studies on the flame retardant properties of phytate-modified PUF.

Transparent Nanofibrous Membranes with Optimized Optical Channel Structure for Window Screens

AbstractNanofibrous membranes, characterized by their flexibility, high porosity, and tunable structure, are emerging as a promising contender for advanced transparent materials with sufficient breathability and pliability. However, the considerable surface light reflection and internal light scattering of nanofibrous membranes pose a challenging task in achieving transparency. In this study, transparent nanofibrous membranes are fabricated by constructing a topological structure with optimized optical transmission channels, which provide the minimum equivalent thickness to minimize light loss in nanofibrous membranes. The resultant fabricated membrane exhibits a high light transmittance of up to 81%, along with a sufficient porosity of 84% and flexibility. Additionally, the membrane demonstrated effective PM0.3–10 removal efficiency (>91%), low air pressure drops (<110 Pa), high air permeability (≈104 mm s−1), and good waterproof performance. Therefore, the prepared transparent nanofibrous membrane may serve as a transparent air filtration window screen to enhance indoor comfort for people.

Doping with KBr to Achieve High-Performance CsPbBr3 Semitransparent Perovskite Solar Cells.

Wide-bandgap semitransparent perovskite photovoltaics are emerging as one of the ideal candidates for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). However, surface defects in inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite prepared by vapor deposition severely limit the optoelectronic performance of perovskite solar cells. To address this issue, a strategy of doping a trace amount of KBr into perovskite by vapor deposition is adopted, effectively improving the quality of the film, reducing surface defect concentration, and enhancing the transportation and extraction of charge carriers. Simultaneously, fully physical vapor deposition technology is employed to fabricate perovskite solar cells with an average visible light transmittance of 44%. These devices exhibited an ultrahigh open-circuit voltage of 1.55 V and a superior power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.28%, demonstrating excellent moisture and heat resistance. Moreover, the corresponding 5 cm × 5 cm modules achieve a PCE of 5.35% with great thermal insulation capability. This work provides an approach for fabricating highly efficient all-inorganic perovskite solar cells with high average visible light transmittance, demonstrating new insights into their application in building-integrated photovoltaics.

Preparation and characterization of PVB/CsxWO3/SiO2(aerogel) nanocomposites for laminated glass with high visible light transmission and excellent thermal insulation

Preparation and characterization of PVB/CsxWO3/SiO2(aerogel) nanocomposites for laminated glass with high visible light transmission and excellent thermal insulation

Design, preparation, and property analysis of metal/dielectric multilayer film with wavelength selectivity

Metal/dielectric multilayer films have important applications in energy-saving glass, stealth materials, solar energy utilization and other fields. In the current study, the thickness of each layer of TiO2/Ag/TiO2/Ag/TiO2 film is optimized. The effects of the number of metal/dielectric multilayer films and the incident light angle on their optical properties were investigated. The TiO2/Ag/TiO2/Ag/TiO2 film was prepared by electron beam evaporation coating technology, and their reflectance and transmittance were measured. The measurement results show that the visible light transmittance (380–780 nm) of the film can achieve 68.7%, and the infrared reflectance (780–2500 nm) can reach 95.9%. Compared with the traditional dielectric/metal/dielectric three-layer film, the visible light transmittance of the film is higher, and the solar infrared reflectance is greatly improved. In the solar radiation band (280–2500 nm), the average error between the experimental reflectance and transmittance and the theoretical prediction results is less than 0.03. The distribution of electric and magnetic fields inside the film was simulated by finite-difference time-domain method. The simulation results show that the high visible light transmittance is due to the interference resonance of electromagnetic waves inside the film. Taking Shanghai as an example, under our calculation conditions, compared with ordinary SiO2 glass, TiO2/Ag/TiO2/Ag/TiO2 film can reduce the total energy consumption of buildings by 14.3% and refrigeration energy consumption by 17.2%.

Experimental study of bifacial photovoltaic wall system incorporating thermochromic material

In this study, we innovatively propose a bifacial PV wall system combined with thermochromic materials (BPVW-TC). The system combines thermochromic materials and bifacial PV technology on a building facade to passively and adaptively improve the overall solar efficiency of the building facade by taking advantage of the passive temperature response properties of the thermochromic materials and the power generation benefits of bifacial PV. The designed thermochromic glass with a transition temperature of 35.8 °C maintains a high visible light transmittance of 88.6 % in the transparent state, while the transmittance drops sharply to 0.6 % in the opaque state; in addition, a bifacial PV module with a coverage of 70 % is designed, and an experimental setup is set up based on it to validate the power generation gain of the system under indoor steady state conditions. Subsequently, the BPVW-TC system model was tested under different weather conditions in Hefei, China, and the results showed that the system could achieve solar energy utilisation of up to 38.8 % and solar thermal efficiency of up to 83 % on a sunny summer day.

Passive dimming phase change material inspired by polymer hydrogels

As a new concept of smart materials, passive dimming phase change materials (PDPCMs) have potential in the field of energy-efficient buildings due to ultra-high energy utilization efficiency. Novel PDPCMs materials are reported by simulating the microstructure of high light transmittance polymer hydrogels. The self-prepared composite coordinates the inherent contradiction between anti liquid leakage, optical transmittance switching, and thermal storage density. There is an interaction between the hydroxyl groups (–OH) of MA and the ester groups (–COOR) of polybutylmethacrylate (PBMA), resulting in the PBMA/MA with a VMA/VPBMA volume ratio of 6:5 exhibiting good resistance to liquid leakage even when stretched to about 400 % at 60 °C. Based on the good compatibility and well-matched refractive index between MA and PBMA framework materials, the visible light transmittance of as-prepared PDPCMs has increased from 0.1 % at 30 °C to 89.0 % at 60 °C. The as-prepared composite also exhibits a good latent heat-storage capability with satisfactory phase-change enthalpies of over 113 J g−1. The as-prepared PDPCMs eliminate the spatial positional differences between photo-thermal conversion and thermal energy absorption, without considering the thermal conductivity of PDPCMs. The photo-thermal conversion efficiency can be increased by introducing well-matched color changing ink (CCI), significantly improving energy utilization efficiency. On the other hand, energy-saving doors/windows containing PBMA/MA composite materials allow sunlight to spread indoors due to the high transmittance (89.0 %) at high temperatures. The new design concept makes passive dimming composite materials suitable for high latitude areas.

Exploring an innovative decellularization protocol for porcine nerve grafts: a translational approach to peripheral nerve repair.

Peripheral nerves are frequently affected by lesions caused by traumatic or iatrogenic damages, resulting in loss of motor and sensory function, crucial in orthopedic outcomes and with a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Many strategies have been proposed over years to repair nerve injuries with substance loss, to achieve musculoskeletal reinnervation and functional recovery. Allograft have been tested as an alternative to the gold standard, the autograft technique, but nerves from donors frequently cause immunogenic response. For this reason, several studies are focusing to find the best way to decellularize nerves preserving either the extracellular matrix, either the basal lamina, as the key elements used by Schwann cells and axons during the regenerative process. This study focuses on a novel decellularization protocol for porcine nerves, aimed at reducing immunogenicity while preserving essential elements like the extracellular matrix and basal lamina, vital for nerve regeneration. To investigate the efficacy of the decellularization protocol to remove immunogenic cellular components of the nerve tissue and to preserve the basal lamina and extracellular matrix, morphological analysis was performed through Masson's Trichrome staining, immunofluorescence, high resolution light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Decellularized porcine nerve graft were then employed in vivo to repair a rat median nerve lesion. Morphological analysis was also used to study the ability of the porcine decellularized graft to support the nerve regeneration. The decellularization method was effective in preparing porcine superficial peroneal nerves for grafting as evidenced by the removal of immunogenic components and preservation of the ECM. Morphological analysis demonstrated that four weeks after injury, regenerating fibers colonized the graft suggesting a promising use to repair severe nerve lesions. The idea of using a porcine nerve graft arises from a translational perspective. This approach offers a promising direction in the orthopedic field for nerve repair, especially in severe cases where conventional methods are limited.

Stability enhancement of perovskite solar cells using multifunctional inorganic materials with UV protective, self cleaning, and high wear resistance properties

Organometal halide perovskite solar cells have reached a high power conversion efficiency of up to 25.8% but suffered from poor long-term stability against environmental factors such as ultraviolet irradiation and humidity of the environment. Herein, two different multifunctional transparent coatings containing AZO and ZnO porous UV light absorbers were employed on the front of the PSCs. This strategy is designed to improve the long-term stability of PSCs against UV irradiation. Moreover, the provided coatings exhibit two additional roles, including self-cleaning and high wear resistance. In this regard, AZO coating showed higher wear resistance compared to the ZnO coating. The photocatalytic self-cleaning properties of these prepared coatings make them stable against environmental pollutants. Furthermore, appropriate mechanical properties such as high hardness and low coefficient of friction that leads to high resistance against wear are other features of these coatings. The devices with AZO/Glass/FTO/meso-TiO2/Perovskite/spiro/Au and ZnO/Glass/FTO/meso-TiO2/Perovskite/spiro/Au configurations maintained 40% and 30% of their initial performance for 100 h during 11 days (9 h per day) against the UV light with the high intensity of 50 mW cm-2 which is due to higher absorption of AZO compared with ZnO in the ultraviolet region. Since AZO has a higher light transmission in the visible region in comparison to ZnO, perovskite cells with AZO protective layers have higher efficiency than perovskite cells with ZnO layers. It is worth noting that the mentioned features make these coatings usable for cover glass in all types of solar cells.

Photonic crystal microspheres: Synthesis, characterization, and applications in colored contact lenses

Structural colors arise from the interaction between light and ordered structural materials, making them the ideal choice for colored contact lenses. This study utilized a fast, large-scale synthesis method for silica photonic crystal microspheres, introducing carbon black to enhance the structural coloring effect. The sintering process strengthened the cohesion between particles, increasing their strength and expanding their range of applications. This approach successfully prepared SiO2 photonic crystal inks with structural colors to produce contact lenses through a pad printing technique. In particular, the coloration is solely achieved using SiO2 and carbon black without other organic species. The resulting structural color blue contact lenses exhibit high light transmittance and vivid structural colors. Furthermore, the following necessary properties were me: oxygen transmittance, visible light transmittance, hydrophilicity, and lipid and protein adsorption of the contact lenses. Cell viability experiments indicate that contact lenses made from this material are biocompatible. The results illustrated that these as-prepared lenses are promising candidates for traditional colored contact lenses.

Preparation and application of profiled luminescent polyester fiber with reversible photochromism materials

Abstract In this study, we realized a highly luminescent polyester fiber using a special spinneret orifice comprised of eight C-shaped pores and specific process parameters. A moderate amount of reversible photochromism materials was added along with the specific color masterbatch of suitable materials. With its high light transmittance and reflectance, the fabric has high glossiness and excellent transparency and exhibits dazzling color effects with changes in ambient light intensity. The raw materials used are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chips with a low melting point of 110–150°C, 0.3–0.5% (active ingredient 30%) masterbatch, and 40–50% (active ingredient 50%) reversible photochromism masterbatch. The following process parameters were also chosen: for the PET chips, the drying temperature was 80–90°C, the drying time was 12–14 h, the masterbatch drying temperature was 70–80°C, the drying time was 8–10 h, the spinning temperature was 220–230°C, the cooling air temperature was 15–17°C, the cooling air speed was 0.45–0.50 m·min−1, the first hot roller temperature was 75–80°C, and the secondary hot roller had the heater turned off.

Guanidinium‐Based Manganese(II) Bromide with High Glass‐Forming Ability for Thermoplastic Curved X‐ray Imaging

AbstractThe development of large‐area transparent organic‐inorganic hybrid metal halide (OIMH) scintillation screens is restricted by the anisotropic single‐crystal growth, numerous grain boundaries in polycrystalline wafers, and inhomogeneous dispersion in perovskite‐polymer composite films. The crystal‐glass phase transition of OIMH materials may provide a promising solution for the above significant challenges. Herein, a new class of transparent amorphous guanidinium‐based manganese bromide glasses, (DPG)2MnBr4 and (DOTG)2MnBr4 (DPG = 1,3‐diphenylguanidinium, DOTG = 1,3‐di‐o‐tolylguanidinium), are synthesized through a low‐temperature melt‐quenching process. The (DOTG)2MnBr4 shows impressive glass‐forming ability because of large viscosity (η) at the melting temperature (Tm) (η(Tm) = 3426 mPa·s) and small fragility index (m = 52.35), which can be a potential glass scintillator. The large‐area (e.g., 13 cm × 13 cm) transparent amorphous (DOTG)2MnBr4 glass scintillator shows high light transmittance of > 80%, a low detection limit of 237.3 nGy s−1 and high X‐ray imaging spatial resolution of 12 lp mm−1. Interestingly, the glass transition temperature of < 40 °C gives (DOTG)2MnBr4 glass unique thermoplastic properties, allowing it to conform to irregularly shaped objects and reduce the distortion in X‐ray imaging.

A partial dissolution-regeneration strategy for preparing water-resistant composite film of cellulose I and cellulose II with high light transmittance and adjustable haze

Due to the excellent properties of nanocellulose film such as biodegradability and renewability, researchers have conducted in-depth research on it in recent years. However, rich hydroxyl groups on the surface of nanocellulose make it hydrophilic, and small gaps between the fibrils have significant capillary effect, which cause the strength of nanocellulose film drastically deteriorates when exposed to water, severely restricting its scope of use. In this study, the nanocellulose prepared by ball milling was used to prepare nanocellulose film, and the surface of the film was partially dissolved by ZnCl2. The dense regenerated cellulose (Cellulose Ⅱ) with Zn2+ on the surface made the film hydrophobic, effectively reduced the water absorption rate of the film, and also maintained the internal structure of the nanocellulose. Through this strategy, the nanocellulose film with high dry strength (151–176 MPa), wet strength (27.6–31.7 MPa), high light transmittance (80–91%), and adjustable haze (50–90%) was obtained. This study provides a facile and environmentally friendly strategy to improve the wet strength of nanocellulose film, which broadens its application prospect in packaging materials and electronic devices.

Modeling and optimization strategies for dye-doped super twisted nematic liquid crystal light valves

This study provides a comprehensive investigation of dye-doped super twisted nematic liquid crystal (DDSTNLC) with the aim of uncovering its potential applications. Using design of experiments (DoE) techniques, we elucidated the relationships between physical variables and constructed a transmission model. We then used Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate the potential applications of DDSTNLC in various optical performances, including high light transmittance and contrast ratio. The investigation combining the modeling and DoE paves the way for advancing progress in the development of DDSTNLC-based light valves.