Abstract
Electrochromic (EC) materials can change their optical properties, reversibly and persistently, when electrical voltage is applied. These materials can be integrated in multilayer devices capable of modulating the optical transmittance and heat transfer from solar radiance. EC smart windows have been used in fenestration that blocks heat on demand, with or without optical transparency. This could significantly reduce energy consumption while provide indoor comfort in buildings. Numerous inorganic EC materials are reported in this chapter. Conventional EC thin films such as tungsten oxide prepared by sputtering process has been studied extensively over the past decades. However, it failed to incorporate in practical use due to insignificant performance in solar (light and heat) modulation and manufacturing cost. Recently, great advances in the development of such materials have been reported. For example, nano composite made from indium tin oxide (ITO) nanocrystal embedded in niobium oxide glass, significantly improved the EC performance with the ability to control infrared region and visible light individually. This chapter introduces the existing EC materials, the fundamental of EC devices operation and EC thin-film characterization. Smart windows are believed to be a green technology with huge potential energy saving in building sectors in the future.
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Tan, X.Y., Wang, H., Kim, T.G. (2020). Electrochromic Smart Windows: An Energy-Efficient Technology. In: Siddiquee, S., Gan Jet Hong, M., Mizanur Rahman, M. (eds) Composite Materials: Applications in Engineering, Biomedicine and Food Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45489-0_9
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