Isotope-driven hydrogel smart windows for self-adaptive thermoregulation

Hongyi Tu, Tong Wang (), Min Chen and Limin Wu ()
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Hongyi Tu: Fudan University
Tong Wang: University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Min Chen: Fudan University
Limin Wu: Fudan University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract As a cutting-edge and environmentally friendly approach, thermochromic hydrogel smart windows show great potential in combating climate change and achieving carbon neutrality. However, the substantial absorption of near-infrared (NIR) energy by H2O poses an enormous challenge in enhancing the spectral responsiveness. Herein, we propose an ingenious concept of isotope-driven D2O-hydrogel smart windows, which can effectively resolve the inherent issue of NIR energy absorption associated with H2O, without compromising versatility. It facilitates near-optimal transmittance modulation across the entire solar spectrum (ΔΓSol = 91.97%), demonstrating a marked enhancement in NIR modulation of transmittance (ΔΓNIR) and reflectance (ΔRNIR) by ~16% and ~31%, respectively, in comparison to conventional H2O-hydrogel. Moreover, the integration of Ag-nanowires into D2O-hydrogel further substantially augments the regulation of longwave infrared emissivity ( $$\Delta {\varepsilon }_{{LWIR}}$$ Δ ε L W I R = 31.89%) while preserving a comprehensive modulation ratio (ΔΓSol = 66.02%, ΔRSol = 48.41%) that is not achieved by the existing thermochromic devices. This isotope-driven D2O-hydrogel smart window provides another design strategy for future energy-efficient windows.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62432-3

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