Tough, Transparent, and Anti-Freezing Nanocomposite Organohydrogels with Photochromic Properties

Poor mechanical properties and freezing at low temperatures of traditional photochromic hydrogels limit their applications. Here, a novel type of photochromic nanocomposite organohydrogels (NC OGHs) by adding tungsten oxide nanoparticles was prepared by a simple one-pot method. The photochromic NC OGHs demonstrated excellent integrated properties, including high transparency, high mechanical properties, low-temperature resistance, anti-dehydration, rewrite capability, and UV blocking ability. In addition, the degree of coloration of NC OGHs could be precisely controlled by UV irradiation, and the bleaching process could be controlled by the temperature and atmosphere. Besides flexible optical information storage devices and optical filters, these photochromic NC OGHs were also used for smart windows in both room temperature and cold environments. The work provides a new insight into photochromic organohydrogels.