Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass

Reducing energy consumption in buildings is critical to reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and mitigating global warming. Studies have shown that heating and cooling loads account for more than 40% of building energy consumption, and thermochromic glass (TCG) with dynamically adjustable s...

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Main Authors: Mingyi Gao, Dewei Qian, Lihua Zhao, Rong Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/2/233
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author Mingyi Gao
Dewei Qian
Lihua Zhao
Rong Jin
author_facet Mingyi Gao
Dewei Qian
Lihua Zhao
Rong Jin
author_sort Mingyi Gao
collection DOAJ
description Reducing energy consumption in buildings is critical to reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and mitigating global warming. Studies have shown that heating and cooling loads account for more than 40% of building energy consumption, and thermochromic glass (TCG) with dynamically adjustable solar transmittance is an excellent way to reduce this load. Although a large number of studies have tested the spectral parameters of TCG in totally transparent and totally turbid states, the impact of dynamic changes in optical properties on the simulation accuracy of building energy consumption has been neglected. In this study, a method is proposed for a hydrogel-type TCG to dynamically test its spectral parameters based on spectrophotometry. The method uses a spectrophotometer and a PID heater to achieve the dynamic optical parameter testing of TCGs at different temperatures. In this paper, the transmission and reflection spectra of the two TCGs at 20~25 °C, 30~35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C, and 55 °C were obtained, and the regression segmentation functions of visible transmittance and solar transmittance were established. The R<sup>2</sup> of the function model is 0.99. In addition, the test results show that the thermochromic glass selected in this paper can selectively transmit different wavelengths of light, and its transmission mainly occurs in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths from 320 to 1420 nm, while the transmission rate of other wavelengths is very low. As the temperature increases, the visible, solar, and ultraviolet transmittances decrease at a similar rate. In addition, the higher the temperature acting on the thermochromic (TC) layer, the greater its haze.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-46d5ff579c8143788ed481cf9c6c70e82025-01-24T13:26:16ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-01-0115223310.3390/buildings15020233Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic GlassMingyi Gao0Dewei Qian1Lihua Zhao2Rong Jin3State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaHewei Technology Co., Ltd., Chongqing 400000, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building and Urban Science, School of Architecture, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, ChinaReducing energy consumption in buildings is critical to reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions and mitigating global warming. Studies have shown that heating and cooling loads account for more than 40% of building energy consumption, and thermochromic glass (TCG) with dynamically adjustable solar transmittance is an excellent way to reduce this load. Although a large number of studies have tested the spectral parameters of TCG in totally transparent and totally turbid states, the impact of dynamic changes in optical properties on the simulation accuracy of building energy consumption has been neglected. In this study, a method is proposed for a hydrogel-type TCG to dynamically test its spectral parameters based on spectrophotometry. The method uses a spectrophotometer and a PID heater to achieve the dynamic optical parameter testing of TCGs at different temperatures. In this paper, the transmission and reflection spectra of the two TCGs at 20~25 °C, 30~35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C, and 55 °C were obtained, and the regression segmentation functions of visible transmittance and solar transmittance were established. The R<sup>2</sup> of the function model is 0.99. In addition, the test results show that the thermochromic glass selected in this paper can selectively transmit different wavelengths of light, and its transmission mainly occurs in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths from 320 to 1420 nm, while the transmission rate of other wavelengths is very low. As the temperature increases, the visible, solar, and ultraviolet transmittances decrease at a similar rate. In addition, the higher the temperature acting on the thermochromic (TC) layer, the greater its haze.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/2/233thermochromic glassproperties testspectrophotometer
spellingShingle Mingyi Gao
Dewei Qian
Lihua Zhao
Rong Jin
Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
Buildings
thermochromic glass
properties test
spectrophotometer
title Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
title_full Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
title_fullStr Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
title_short Experimental Study on the Photothermal Properties of Thermochromic Glass
title_sort experimental study on the photothermal properties of thermochromic glass
topic thermochromic glass
properties test
spectrophotometer
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/2/233
work_keys_str_mv AT mingyigao experimentalstudyonthephotothermalpropertiesofthermochromicglass
AT deweiqian experimentalstudyonthephotothermalpropertiesofthermochromicglass
AT lihuazhao experimentalstudyonthephotothermalpropertiesofthermochromicglass
AT rongjin experimentalstudyonthephotothermalpropertiesofthermochromicglass