ABSTRACT
Controlling light intensity and colour are the two main functions required to realise smart windows. In this paper, the bifunctional optical control films were prepared by combining a nano-doped polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) with the photochromic material. The nano-doped PDLC was prepared by mixing the nematic liquid crystals, UV-curable liquid mixture, and ZrO2 nanoparticles through a polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) process. The electro-optical properties of the PDLCs were significantly improved compared to the initial hybrid system; furthermore, the driving voltage reached a minimum of 20.7 V with 0.8 wt% of ZrO2 doping. Spin-coated photochromic powder enabled PDLC films to switch between coloured and colourless under UV or solar irradiation. The bifunctional PDLC films with lower threshold voltage, lower saturation voltage, and better contrast, have shown significant application in areas of smart windows.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).