Photochromic
transparent wooden materials are highly critical and
attractive for smart windows, which have been scarcely investigated.
In this context, we develop photochromic and fluorescent translucent
wood with a color switching ability in the UV and visible spectrum
regions, which is associated with color shifting properties. The fluorescent
and photochromic translucent wood were generated by permeating a lignin-modified
wooden substrate using a formulation containing methyl methacrylate
(MMA) and a photoluminescent lanthanide-doped aluminum strontium oxide
(SrAl2O4:Eu2+, Dy3+; ASOED)
pigment characterized by good photo- and thermal stability. For a
better preparation of photoluminescent transparent wood, the ASOED
phosphor must be efficiently dispersed without aggregation in pre-polymerized
MMA. This translucent wooden substrate demonstrated a color change
from colorless in visible light to green under irradiation with UV
as designated by CIE Lab colorimetric results. The morphological characteristics
of the generated pigment nanoparticles (NPs) were studied using transmission
electron microscopic micrographs. Scanning electron microscopy, elemental
mapping, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analysis, wavelength-dispersive
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, and hardness properties, in addition
to UV–vis absorption and emission spectroscopy of the photochromic
translucent wood samples, were used. The prepared photoluminescence
transparent wood showed an absorption signal at 365 nm and two emission
signals at 433 and 517 nm. The findings demonstrated that the generated
transparent luminescent wood exhibited improved UV protection and
superhydrophobic activity. The produced transparent luminescent wood
showed fast and reversible photochromic responses to UV light without
fatigue.
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