Low-Voltage Haze Tuning with Cellulose-Network Liquid Crystal Gels

Ghosh, Souvik; Abraham, Eldho; Smalyukh, Ivan I.

doi:10.1021/acsnano.3c03693

Title: Low-Voltage Haze Tuning with Cellulose-Network Liquid Crystal Gels

Journal Article · 18 September 2023 · ACS Nano

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.3c03693 · OSTI ID:2341901

^[1]; Abraham, Eldho ^[2];

^[3]

Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); CU Boulder
Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)
Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States); Hiroshima Univ. (Japan); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute

Being key components of the building envelope, glazing products with tunable optical properties are in great demand because of their potential for boosting energy efficiency and privacy features while enabling the main function of allowing natural light indoors. However, windows and skylights with electric switching of haze and transparency are rare and often require high voltages or electric currents, as well as not fully meet the stringent technical requirements for glazing applications. Here, by introducing a predesigned gel material we describe an approach dubbed “Haze-Switch” that involves low-voltage tuning of the haze coefficient in a broad range of 2–90% while maintaining high visible-range optical transmittance. The approach is based on a nanocellulose fiber gel network infiltrated by a nematic liquid crystal, which can be switched between polydomain and monodomain spatial patterns of optical axis via a dielectric coupling between the nematic domains and the applied external electric field. By utilizing a nanocellulose network of nanofibers ~10 nm in diameter we achieve <10 V dielectric switching and <2% haze in the clear state, as needed for applications in window products. Finally, we characterize physical properties relevant to window and smart glass technologies, like the color rendering index, haze coefficient, and switching times, demonstrating that our material and envisaged products can meet the stringent requirements of the glass industry, including applications such as privacy windows, skylights, sunroofs, and daylighting.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019293

OSTI ID:: 2341901

Journal Information:: ACS Nano, Journal Name: ACS Nano Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 17; ISSN 1936-0851

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
gels
electric switching
mesostructured
smart windows
cellulose nanofibers
nanoporous network
liquid crystals
emergent nematic domains
ultrahigh haziness

Title: Low-Voltage Haze Tuning with Cellulose-Network Liquid Crystal Gels

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