A solar spectral fractionation management smart window comprising a gel electrolyte

Abstract

This invention discloses a solar frequency division management smart window containing a gel electrolyte, comprising a working electrode, a gel electrolyte, and a catalytic counter electrode. The working electrode, gel electrolyte, and catalytic counter electrode are stacked in a sandwich structure. This window has the characteristics of ultraviolet light detection capability and infrared light shielding capability, and has high transparency in the visible light band, thus realizing the frequency division management of sunlight.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of photoelectric sensing technology and relates to a smart window for managing solar frequency division containing a gel electrolyte. Background Technology

[0002] As we all know, in addition to the visible light spectrum, sunlight reaching the Earth's surface also contains less noticeable ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) rays. UV rays have high photon energy and possess functions such as disinfection, sterilization, and promoting bone development; however, excessive UV radiation can easily cause skin aging, inflammation, and even skin cancer. Therefore, the detection and control of UV radiation is indispensable for improving people's quality of life. On the other hand, infrared light accounts for more than half of the solar radiation's energy and is a significant source of heat in daily life. Effectively managing and shielding this infrared light can significantly reduce the heat transferred from the sun to indoor spaces during hot summer days, thereby reducing building energy consumption for air conditioning and achieving energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0003] A photodetector is a sensor that performs photoelectric conversion, transforming incident light signals into electrical signals such as current, which are easily monitored and analyzed. Photodetectors can be classified according to the wavelength range of the detected light signal, including ultraviolet detectors, visible light detectors, infrared detectors, and broadband detectors. Within the entire solar spectrum, traditional photodetectors perform a single function (identification or non-identification) for different frequency bands (wavelength ranges) of light, and cannot achieve frequency-division management. Currently, photodetectors with both ultraviolet light detection and infrared light shielding capabilities are rarely reported. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a solar frequency division management smart window containing gel electrolyte. This window has the characteristics of ultraviolet light detection capability and infrared light shielding capability, and has high transparency in the visible light band.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses a solar frequency division management smart window containing a gel electrolyte, comprising a working electrode, a gel electrolyte, and a catalytic counter electrode, wherein the working electrode, the gel electrolyte, and the catalytic counter electrode are stacked sequentially in a sandwich structure.

[0006] The working electrode is prepared by: preparing an oxide semiconductor thin film on a first transparent conductive electrode to obtain the working electrode.

[0007] The preparation process of the catalytic counter electrode is as follows:

[0008] A layer of nano-catalytic material was loaded onto a second transparent conductive electrode to obtain a catalytic counter electrode.

[0009] The oxide semiconductor film is made of titanium dioxide, tungsten trioxide, or their nanocomposite materials, and the thickness of the oxide semiconductor film is 50 nanometers to 2 micrometers.

[0010] Both transparent conductive electrodes are made of indium tin oxide glass, fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, metal grid electrodes, or graphene electrodes.

[0011] The nanocatalytic material is nanoscale platinum or copper oxide.

[0012] The gel electrolyte comprises a polymer backbone, solvent, electrolyte salt, and additives.

[0013] The polymer backbone is PVA, PVP, PEG, or cellulose;

[0014] The solvent is a mixture of water, ethylene glycol, and glycerol.

[0015] The electrolyte salt is magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium bromide, or potassium chloride.

[0016] The additive is nano-sized ATO powder or cesium tungsten bronze powder.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] In specific operation, the solar frequency division management smart window containing gel electrolyte described in this invention uses a sandwich structure to stack the working electrode, gel electrolyte, and catalytic counter electrode in sequence. By utilizing the sandwich structure advantages of photoelectrochemical photodetectors, the physicochemical properties of each functional layer in the device are fully utilized to achieve multifunctional integration. Within the solar spectrum, it can realize frequency division management functions of ultraviolet light detection, visible light transparency, and infrared light shielding, thus helping to achieve smart living and energy conservation and emission reduction. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the ultraviolet light detection performance of the smart window prepared in Example 1;

[0021] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the transmittance of the smart window prepared in Example 1 within the solar spectrum.

[0022] Figure 4 The image shows the infrared heat insulation effect of the smart window prepared in Example 1. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, in the following description, descriptions of well-known structures and technologies are omitted to avoid unnecessary confusion regarding the concepts disclosed in the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] The accompanying drawings show structural schematic diagrams according to embodiments disclosed in this invention. These drawings are not drawn to scale, and some details have been enlarged for clarity, and some details may have been omitted. The shapes of the various regions and layers shown in the drawings, as well as their relative sizes and positional relationships, are merely exemplary and may deviate from reality due to manufacturing tolerances or technical limitations. Furthermore, those skilled in the art can design regions / layers with different shapes, sizes, and relative positions as needed.

[0025] refer to Figure 1 The solar frequency division management smart window containing gel electrolyte of the present invention includes a working electrode, a gel electrolyte and a catalytic counter electrode, wherein the working electrode, the gel electrolyte and the catalytic counter electrode are connected to form a sandwich structure.

[0026] The method for preparing the solar frequency-division management smart window containing gel electrolyte according to the present invention includes the following steps:

[0027] 1) An oxide semiconductor thin film is prepared on a first transparent conductive electrode to obtain a working electrode, wherein the oxide semiconductor thin film is made of titanium dioxide or tungsten trioxide.

[0028] 2) Load a layer of nano-catalytic material onto the second transparent conductive electrode to obtain a catalytic counter electrode, wherein the nano-material is platinum or copper oxide;

[0029] 3) Mix water-soluble polymers, electrolyte salts, solvents, and additives to obtain a gel electrolyte;

[0030] 4) A sandwich structure is adopted to combine and encapsulate the working electrode, gel electrolyte and catalytic counter electrode to form a solar frequency division management smart window.

[0031] In this embodiment, the oxide semiconductor film is made of one of titanium dioxide, tungsten trioxide, or their nanocomposite materials, and the thickness of the oxide semiconductor film is 50 nanometers to 2 micrometers.

[0032] In this embodiment, both transparent conductive electrodes are indium tin oxide glass, fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, metal grid electrodes, or graphene electrodes.

[0033] In this embodiment, the nanocatalytic material is nanoscale platinum or copper oxide.

[0034] In this embodiment, the gel electrolyte includes a polymer backbone, a solvent, an electrolyte salt, and additives.

[0035] In this embodiment, the polymer backbone is PVA, PVP, PEG or cellulose;

[0036] In this embodiment, the solvent is a mixture of water, ethylene glycol, and glycerol.

[0037] In this embodiment, the electrolyte salt is magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium bromide, or potassium chloride.

[0038] In this embodiment, the additive is nano-sized ATO powder or cesium tungsten bronze powder.

[0039] During operation, the solar frequency-division management smart window described in this invention, due to its unique structure, can effectively shield infrared light from sunlight. Simultaneously, because the working electrode, catalytic counter electrode, and gel electrolyte all have high transmittance in the visible light band, the smart window exhibits high transparency in the visible light band, making it suitable for use in everyday building windows. With an ammeter connected via an external circuit between the working electrode and the catalytic counter electrode, when the smart window is exposed to sunlight, the oxide semiconductor thin film is excited by ultraviolet light, generating photogenerated electron-hole pairs. These pairs form a closed loop through ion transport in the gel electrolyte and the external circuit. The intensity of ultraviolet light can then be obtained by reading the ammeter, thus enabling ultraviolet light detection. These three functions can respond simultaneously when the smart window is exposed to sunlight, without interference between them. This allows the smart window to achieve frequency-division management functions within the solar spectrum, including ultraviolet light detection, visible light transparency, and infrared light shielding, contributing to smart living and energy conservation and emission reduction.

[0040] Example 1

[0041] In this embodiment, a titanium dioxide thin film is prepared on a transparent conductive electrode using a sol-gel method to form the working electrode. The thickness of the titanium dioxide thin film is approximately 200 nanometers. The catalytic counter electrode is a platinum electrode, which is also prepared on the transparent conductive electrode using a sol-gel method. The gel electrolyte is a magnesium chloride-PVA system gel electrolyte, which is prepared by mixing and dissolving PVA, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, and ethylene glycol in water. Finally, a sandwich structure is used to combine and encapsulate the working electrode, gel electrolyte, and catalytic counter electrode to form a smart window for solar frequency division management.

[0042] refer to Figure 2 Under periodic ultraviolet light, the smart window can generate periodic photocurrents, thereby realizing the ultraviolet detection function.

[0043] refer to Figure 3 The transmittance of visible light band devices is about 70% (visible light transparent), while the transmittance of infrared light band devices is significantly lower than that of ordinary glass, thus achieving infrared shielding function.

[0044] refer to Figure 4 Under the same lighting conditions, the smart window described in this invention can effectively insulate against heat and slow down the temperature rise by blocking infrared light.

[0045] Example 2

[0046] In this embodiment, a tungsten trioxide thin film is prepared on the working electrode obtained in Example 1 using a sol-gel method to form a titanium dioxide-tungsten trioxide heterojunction working electrode; a copper oxide electrode is used as the catalytic counter electrode; the gel electrolyte is a cesium tungsten bronze-CMC-Na system gel electrolyte, which is obtained by mixing and dissolving CMC-Na, cesium tungsten bronze and cellulose nanofibers in water; finally, a sandwich structure is used to combine and encapsulate the working electrode, gel electrolyte and catalytic counter electrode to form a smart window for solar frequency division management.

[0047] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart window for managing solar frequency distribution using a gel electrolyte, characterized in that, It includes a working electrode, a gel electrolyte, and a catalytic counter electrode, which are stacked sequentially in a sandwich structure. The process of preparing the working electrode is as follows: an oxide semiconductor thin film is prepared on the first transparent conductive electrode to obtain the working electrode; The oxide semiconductor film is made of one of titanium dioxide, tungsten trioxide, or their nanocomposite materials, and the thickness of the oxide semiconductor film is 50 nanometers to 2 micrometers. The gel electrolyte comprises a polymer backbone, a solvent, an electrolyte salt, and additives; The polymer backbone is PVA, PVP, PEG or cellulose; The solvent is a mixture of water, ethylene glycol, and glycerol; The additive is nano-sized ATO powder or cesium tungsten bronze powder; The preparation process of the catalytic counter electrode is as follows: A layer of nano-catalytic material was loaded onto a second transparent conductive electrode to obtain a catalytic counter electrode. Both transparent conductive electrodes are made of indium tin oxide glass, fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, metal grid electrodes, or graphene electrodes. The nanocatalytic material is nanoscale platinum or copper oxide; The electrolyte salt is magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, lithium bromide, or potassium chloride.

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