Credit: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
In the future, smart windows will not only be used for thermal management, but they will also be used to provide solar energy for cars, buildings, and displays. Researchers recently discovered a window material that can be reproducibly switched by temperature cycling. The image shows the low-temperature (Low-T) material on the left. This transparent material has low electrical power output. In contrast, the high-temperature material (High-T) is darker but exhibits a high electrical power output when illuminated with sunlight.