College
College of Engineering and Polymer Science
Date of Last Revision
2023-05-04 20:48:51
Major
Chemical Engineering
Honors Course
4200:497
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2021
Abstract
With HVAC and building energy usage expected to increase, there is a strong need for autonomous thermal management solutions. In particular, there has been a growing interest in thermoresponsive (TR) smart windows that are activated by ambient temperature changes. Most TR smart windows contain a liquid solution between two panes. The goal of this research project was to develop a self-supporting smart window by forming a gel that maintained its TR properties. A gel is less prone to spilling in the case of window breakage. It was also desired to tune the phase transition to occur at environmentally relevant conditions for a building. Solutions were prepared with varying concentrations of glycerol, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) – and analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy and cloud point measurements. A highly viscous gel was formed when 15 wt% HPC and 1 wt% SDS were added to a solution containing 50 wt% glycerol and water. This gel had a phase transition at 28°C. This sample’s heat-shielding performance was then tested under the heat of an incandescent light bulb, resulting in a heat-shielding of 56% compared to a 9% heat shielding when only glass slides were used.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Ruel McKenzie
First Reader
Dr. Bi-min Newby
Second Reader
Dr. Roya Gitiafroz
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Bi-min Newby
Recommended Citation
Reed, Adam, "Evaluating the Thermoresponsive Properties of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Solutions for Smart Window Applications" (2021). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1415.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1415
Included in
Environmental Design Commons, Polymer and Organic Materials Commons, Polymer Science Commons