Song Hee Koo, Kyungmin Park, Hyunmin Hwang, Youngjae Yoo, Jong Hun Han, Kwonwoo Shin and Jeong Ho Cho
The purpose of this paper is to develop environmentally stable near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing windows by blending an NIR‐absorbing dye and a thermally‐crosslinkable polymer.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop environmentally stable near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing windows by blending an NIR‐absorbing dye and a thermally‐crosslinkable polymer.
Design/methodology/approach
To enhance the environmental stability of the NIR‐absorbing window, a poly(vinyl phenol‐co‐methyl methacrylate) (poly(VP‐co‐MMA)) prepolymer and a poly(melamine‐co‐formaldehyde) (PMF) cross‐linking agent were mixed, and thermal crosslinking was performed under mild conditions (100°C).
Findings
The resistance of the crosslinked hybrid films to heat, humidity, and ultraviolet radiation damage improved dramatically relative to the pristine NIR‐absorbing dye. The improved environmental stability of the crosslinked NIR hybrid film resulted from the reduced free volume and restrictions in the molecular thermal dynamic motions of the polymer due to the presence of the crosslinked network surrounding the NIR‐absorbing dye molecules.
Originality/value
The methods provided a novel, simple, and practical solution to improving environmentally stability of NIR‐absorbing window.
Details
Keywords
Hyunmin Hwang, Moon Sung Kang, Jong Hun Han, Kwonwoo Shin and Jeong Ho Cho
The authors aimed to develop environmentally stable NIR‐absorbing windows by blending a near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing dye and a photo‐crosslinkable polymer.
Abstract
Purpose
The authors aimed to develop environmentally stable NIR‐absorbing windows by blending a near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing dye and a photo‐crosslinkable polymer.
Design/methodology/approach
To prepare an environmentally stable NIR‐absorbing window, a NIR‐absorbing dye was mixed with crosslinkable poly(vinyl cinnamate) (PVCn). The crosslinking of PVCn was carried out by photo‐dimerisation reaction of cinnamate with UV‐exposure at a wavelength of 254 nm for 4 min.
Findings
The resistance of the photo‐crosslinked hybrid films against humidity, heat, and ultraviolet radiation damage was improved dramatically relative to the pristine NIR‐absorbing dye. These improvements result from the protection of NIR‐absorbing dye to moisture exposure in the presence of the polymer network.
Originality/value
The simple and practical method resulted in a dramatic improvement in the environmental stability of NIR‐absorbing window.