Highly Transparent, Spectrally Selective Power-Generating Windows Based on WO_3- Nanorods and Carbon Dots for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Near-infrared (NIR) shielding windows reduce building energy consumption but inefficiently utilize UV and visible light, converting them to waste heat.
• Existing energy-saving windows often fail to achieve full-spectrum solar energy utilization, limiting their overall efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel tandem spectrally selective power-generating (SSPG) window for full-spectrum solar energy utilization.
• To integrate NIR shielding with luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) for simultaneous heat reduction and electricity generation.

Main Methods:

• Developed oxygen-deficient tungsten oxide (WO3-x) nanorod-based NIR shielding modules.
• Incorporated red-emissive carbon dot-based luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs).
• Coupled LSCs with a photovoltaic system for electricity generation.

Main Results:

• The SSPG window achieved a visible light transmittance of 70.44% and a power conversion efficiency of 0.31%.
• Demonstrated effective indoor temperature reduction by 7 °C under sunlight irradiation.
• Exhibited good thermal/photostability and excellent NIR shielding performance post-treatment.

Conclusions:

• The developed SSPG window successfully integrates NIR shielding and power generation for enhanced energy efficiency.
• This technology offers a promising new approach for developing advanced energy-saving windows.
• Full-spectrum utilization in windows can significantly reduce energy consumption and improve indoor comfort.