ABSTRACT Transparent wood (TW) is a novel material attracting widespread attention and research in the fields of materials science and engineering. However, conventional transparent wood lacks the capability of dynamic modulation of light transmittance for the application of smart windows. A type of VO2@SiO2 thermochromic transparent wood (VSTW) with dynamic adjustable transmittance was fabricated in this work. The sample combines the advantages of high visible light transparency and a solar modulation ability of 3.06%. Moreover, the surface modification of VO2 with silica species enhanced the acid corrosion resistance of the materials compared to pure counterparts, along with the prevention of VO2 from oxidation in air, potentially making VSTW applicable in the building sector. Moreover, SiO2 shells with abundant polar groups enhance the interfacial compatibility between particles and the PVA matrix, allowing better mechanical properties with an increased tensile strength value by 14.3% compared with the base transparent wood. Inherited from the nature of wood‐based material, VSTW has low thermal conductivity (0.23 W/m·K) for good thermal insulation performance compared to conventional window glass. VSTW's characteristics of high mechanical strength, strong heat insulation ability, and its infrared adjustment ability make it possible in practical large‐scale applications, especially in the field of smart windows.
Wang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.