NC State reported on September 21, 2023 that tungsten oxide hydrate could support three optical modes for dynamic windows: clear, infrared-absorbing and darker states that also absorb visible light.
The team included researchers from NC State, the University of Texas at Austin and Vanderbilt. Its study examined a crystalline tungsten oxide containing structural water, rather than simply adding a water layer to a finished window.
According to the university, lower lithium-ion and electron insertion produced the infrared response; additional insertion led to visible-light absorption. The research therefore addressed control over different parts of the spectrum within one material.
The announcement identified a September 1 ACS Photonics paper. It reported a materials result, not a commercial retrofit-film launch, measured building-wide energy savings or a guaranteed service life.
Sources & reporting notes
- Material would allow users to tune windows to block targeted wavelengths of light North Carolina State University · Source dated September 21, 2023
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