Switchable mirrors, i.e., mirrors capable of switching between reflective and transparent states, are highly desirable as smart windows for energy efficient buildings and vehicles, among other applications. A mirror state with long term stability will be an ideal quality, which still remains challenging.
Eunkyoung Kim and colleagues, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea, have demonstrated an electrochemically operated bistable mirror maintaining a mirror state for over 2 h without voltage input. The long term memory performance was achieved by using thiol-monolayer coated ITO (indium tin oxide) glass and ionic liquid electrolytes, both of which stabilized Ag-Cu thin films.
The researchers have reached unprecedented bistability in switchable mirrors via a delicately controlled bottom-up approach in this study. Further optimization is likely to enhance the memory effect and response time, yielding smart mirrors for practical applications.
- Switchable Silver Mirrors with Long Memory Effect
Chihyun Park, Seogjae Seo, Haijin Shin, Bhimrao D. Sarwade, Jongbeom Na, Eunkyoung Kim
Chem. Sci. 2014.
DOI: 10.1039/C4SC01912A
