Light-Driven, Super-Fast Self-Healing Transparent MXene/W₁₈O₄₉/Polyurethane Films with Superior Toughness for Thermal...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Light-driven materials are crucial for smart devices, but current photothermal polymers are opaque and difficult to process.
• Existing composites often lack transparency, mechanical robustness, and efficient light management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop versatile, transparent films with photothermal self-healing and enhanced mechanical properties.
• To overcome the limitations of opaque and vulnerable photothermal materials for practical applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized polyurethane (PU) based transparent films (PUMW) by integrating plasmonic MXene and W18O49 hybrids.
• Characterized film transparency, photothermal conversion efficiency, self-healing capability, and mechanical strength.
• Evaluated thermal insulation performance using a scaled model.

Main Results:

• The PUMW films exhibited over 79% visible-light transmittance.
• Achieved rapid photothermal conversion, reaching 102 °C under 0.45 W cm-2 light irradiation.
• Demonstrated efficient self-healing of surface scratches within 2 minutes and increased tensile strength from 22.7 to 30.7 MPa.
• Showcased a 10 °C temperature reduction in a model house, indicating energy-saving potential.

Conclusions:

• The developed PUMW films offer a promising combination of transparency, photothermal function, self-healing, and mechanical strength.
• These versatile films hold significant potential for next-generation smart devices and energy-saving applications in buildings.