• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.562-567
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• 2022

Novel self-illuminated smart windows were fabricated consisting of Cu-doped ZnS (ZnS:Cu) powder and polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC). This smart window shows not only switchable transparency but also self-illumination without any attachable luminous body. Its electro-optical characteristics, transmittance, and luminance were investigated in relation to various applied voltages and composition ratios. The optical transmittance and luminous intensity increased with increasing applied voltages. However, the optical transmittance decreased with increasing ZnS:Cu powder content. One of the self-illuminated smart windows, which was fabricated with 9 wt% of ZnS:Cu, achieved the optical transmittance of 60.5% (at 550 nm) and the luminance of 11.0 cd/m² at 100 V. This smart window could be used as a normal switchable smart window in daytime and light-emitting signage at night.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.494-499
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• 2024

The possibility of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) submodule was evaluated as an independent power source that can drive a smart liquid crystal window (SLW) that selectively blocks sunlight when electricity is applied. In order to save energy and increase the functionality of buildings, SLW operation was supplied directly from DSSC submodule, rather than connecting to the existing power system and external power sources. It was confirmed that the SLW can control light transmittance through self-generation using the DSSC submodule composed of 6 cells at low light of 2,500 lux. These results imply that there is a high possibility of combining smart windows and DSSCs suitable for window-type building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. DSSCs, which can self-generate power in low light, are expected to increase their usability in urban BIPV systems through combination with smart window technology.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.471-474
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• 2020

In recent years, the challenge of higher energy efficiency has emerged as urban buildings have become taller, and the area of window glasses has increased. To address the problem of energy efficiency in buildings, research on smart windows is being actively conducted. In this study, an accelerated experiment for thermal stability was conducted to fabricate a liquid crystal cell applicable to external windows. It was confirmed from the study that the function is maintained even in a high-temperature external environment through the change in transmittance by voltage. Compared with the initial transmittance, after the passage of time, the smart window cell to which the sealant was applied showed a small change in transmittance of 1~2%. This result confirmed the thermal stability of the liquid crystal-based smart window.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2019.11a
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• pp.166-167
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• 2019

Smart windows are used as windows and doors to determine cooling and heating efficiency in the construction field. It's characteristics can increase the energy saving efficiency. In addition, the function of the smart window that can control the light transmittance transmitted from the external environment of the building to the building according to the needs of the user is attracting attention. In this study, a liquid crystal cell capable of controlling light transmittance of 297 × 210 ㎟ was fabricated by using a liquid crystal device as an optical shutter. Analysis of transmittance change according to driving voltage and driving stability according to thermal environment, We confirmed the applicability of building exterior materials as smart windows.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.271-275
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• 2020

Smart windows are used as windows and doors to determine the cooling and heating efficiency of a building. They have characteristics that can increase the energy efficiency of a building, which leads to energy savings. In addition, smart windows can control the amount of light transmitted from the external environment of a building to the interior of a building according to the needs of the user. In this study, a 297×210 ㎟ liquid crystal cell capable of controlling light transmittance was fabricated using a liquid crystal device as an optical shutter. The effect of driving voltage on the transmittance and the effect of the thermal environment on the driving stability were analyzed. We confirmed the applicability of using smart windows as exterior building materials.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1224-1229
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• 2019

In this study, a liquid crystal (LC) cell was manufactured for smart window applications, such as blinds, and a system for controlling the light transmission rate was developed. The threshold voltage of the LC cell was 1.325 V and when the transmission rate was 10%, the voltage showed 2.370 V, indicating that the LC cell manufactured is driven at low voltage. The LC cell also operated reliably after being heated for 10 min at 80℃. with a response time of less than 30ms. The operation system designed the applied voltage of the LC cell with a interval of about 0.5 V from 0.15 V to 3.53 V and confirmed that the light transmission rate of the LC varies depending on the actual applied voltage. These results suggest that LC cells are likely to be smart window applications.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.131-140
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• 2022

A smart window is a new building material that can realize energy savings in a building. Smart windows can freely adjust Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) and solar gain coefficient (g-value) according to the situation. Smart windows include such technologies as Electrochromic (EC), Suspended Particle Device (SPD), and Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC). Recent research on building energy savings through the VLT and g-value control functions of smart windows is being actively conducted and meaningful results are being drawn. However, since most of the research is focused on energy savings, research on the indoor environment is somewhat lacking. A building is a space where people live and the comfort of life should be prioritized before energy savings. Therefore, in this study, analysis on the daylight performance of an office space was carried out. Through green building standards such as LEED, BREEAM, CASBEE, and G-SEED, the daylight performance was reviewed according to VLT value changes of the smart window. In addition, a study was conducted on the VLT range of the electrochromic façade that can maintain a comfortable indoor environment. The smart window used electrochromic control with a wide range of VLT. The study showed that the minimum VLT of a smart window that can satisfy G-SEED is 25% or more. In addition, it was found that the VLT change of the electrochromic smart window did not significantly affect the uniformity of the room. When the LEED standard was applied, the minimum VLT value of the electrochromic smart window that must be maintained according to each orientation of the building was derived.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.205-211
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• 2019

Over the past several decades, the polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) has received particular attention as a material for developing smart window due to their electro-optical switchable properties. In this study, PDLC cells were fabricated using acrylate monomers, namely 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (2-HEA) and ethylene glycol phenyl ether acrylate (EGPA), and the effect of the monomer composition on their electro-optical properties was investigated. The monomer mixture with a low viscosity (~10 cps) was easily filled between indium tin oxide (ITO) glasses by capillary action at room temperature. PDLC cells prepared using the mixture ratio of 1 : 9 (2-HEA : EGPA) did not show a complete opaque state at a 0 V condition but exhibited unstable electro-optical properties under an electric field. As the LC composition increased in the reaction mixture for PDLC cell preparation, the $V_{th}$ (threshold voltage) and $V_{sat}$ (saturation voltage) values as well as contrast ratio (CR) increased. $V_{th}$ and $V_{sat}$ values also increased with the cell gap thickness. PDLC cells with a $20{\mu}m$ cell gap thickness exhibited higher CR than those with 10 and $40{\mu}m$ cell gap thicknesses. Particularly, PDLC cells prepared using the mixture ratio of 7 : 3 (2-HEA : EGPA) showed excellent electro-optical properties such as a low driving voltage and high contrast ratio.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2022

Ti-In-Zn-O (TIZO)/Ag/TIZO multilayer transparent electrodes were prepared on glass substrates at room temperature using RF/DC magnetron sputtering. Obtained multilayer structure comprising TIZO/Ag/TIZO (10 nm/10 nm/40 nm) with the total thickness of 60 nm showed a transmittance of 86.5% at 650 nm and a sheet resistance of 8.1 Ω/□. The multilayer films were expected to be applicable for use in energy-saving smart window based on polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) because of their transmittance properties to effectively block infrared rays (heat rays). We investigated the effects of the content ratio of prepolymer, the thickness of the PDLC coating layer, and the ultraviolet (UV) light intensity on electro-optical properties, and the surface morphology of polyester acrylate-based PDLC systems using new TIZO/Ag/TIZO transparent conducting electrodes. A PDLC cell with a thickness of 15 ㎛ PDLC layer photocured at an UV intensity of 1.5 mW/cm² exhibited good driving voltage, favorable on-state transmittance, and excellent off-haze. The LC droplets formed on the surface of the polymer matrix of the PDLC composite had a size range of 1 to 3 ㎛ capable of efficiently scattering incident light. Also, the PDLC-based smart window manufactured using TIZO/Ag/TIZO multi-layered transparent electrodes in this study exhibited a light brown, which will have an advantage in terms of aesthetics.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.291-298
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• 2020

ZITO/Ag/ZITO multilayer transparent electrodes at room temperature on glass substrates were prepared using RF/DC magnetron sputtering. Transparent conductive films with a sheet resistance of 9.4 Ω/㎡ and a transmittance of 83.2% at 550 nm were obtained for the multilayer structure comprising ZITO/Ag/ZITO (100/8/42 nm). The sheet resistance and transmittance of ZITO/Ag/ZITO multilayer films meant that they would be highly applicable for use in polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC)-based smart windows due to the ability to effectively block infrared rays (heat rays) and thereby act as an energy-saving smart glass. Effects of the thickness of the PDLC layer and the intensity of ultraviolet light (UV) on electro-optical properties, photopolymerization kinetics, and morphologies of difunctional urethane acrylate-based PDLC systems were investigated using new transparent conducting electrodes. A PDLC cell photo-cured using UV at an intensity of 2.0 mW/c㎡ with a 15 ㎛-thick PDLC layer showed outstanding off-state opacity, good on-state transmittance, and favorable driving voltage. Also, the PDLC-based smart window optimized in this study formed liquid crystal droplets with a favorable microstructure, having an average size range of 2~5 ㎛ for scattering light efficiently, which could contribute to its superior final performance.