Biologically inspired transparent material as an energy system

Glazed envelopes on buildings play a major role in operational energy consumptionas they define the boundary conditions between the climate outside and the thermalcomfort inside a building. Glass façades are viewed as an uncontrolled load that setsthe operational performance requirements for air-cooling mechanical systems. Thesefaçades are determined by code compliant performance levels set by a singleprescriptive static, the U value. This is energetically weak, a dynamic IR absorberstrategy is needed, since performance requires change by the hour, season, andweather conditions to sync with a warming earth atmosphere. A transparent dynamicIR absorber , will be modulated by temperature-dependance of the absorber by activetailored flows in a microfluidic based platform, than conventional IR static absorbers.Nature’s characterization of materials is a thermally dynamic response in real time toa microenvironment. This functionality of heat seeking materials would advance a transparent material by energy capture and storage. The hypothesis demonstratesnature’s use of fluidics to direct the structural assembly of a polymer into a thermallyfunctional device, to actively regulate solar radiation as an IR absorber, to lower thepolymer device phase transition temperature. This research determines thisfunctionality by hierarchical multi micro-channel network scaling, as a leaf resistor. Resistor conduit analysis defines flow target resistance through simulation to generatea multi micro-channel network, for enhanced solar radiation absorption. This isdemonstrated by precise hydrodynamic control in a network using switching of waterflow as a thermal switching medium to regulate heat transport flow. Nature evaluatesheat flow transport in real time that is not emulated in current glass façade staticperformance. The knowledge gap is therefore to advance a transparent material from astatic function, to a dynamic IR absorber for solar modulation, and this isdemonstrated in this research.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral (Level 8)

Year dc:date.issued

2026

Author dc:creator

• Alston, ME

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1385428

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1385428