Swift Photochromic Smart Window Based on Plasmonic Yolk‐Shell Nanophosphors

Abstract Herein, the fabrication of eccentric Ag@Void@Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺ plasmonic yolk‐shell nanophosphors (PYSNPs) with high up‐conversion efficiency, and their incorporation on photochromic WO₃ layers, is demonstrated to fabricate photochromic smart windows with high coloration contrast and swift color change. The up‐conversion efficiency of the Pr³⁺ ion‐doped Y₂SiO₅ (Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺) nanoshells is enhanced by about 50% through the incorporation of carefully designed plasmonic Ag cores placed inside their hollow cavities. Introduction of these geometry‐optimized plasmonic nanophosphors at the surface of photochromic WO₃ films results in about 24‐fold and tenfold enhancements of their coloration rate and kinetic constant, respectively. The strategy adopted for designing and fabricating the Ag@Void@Y₂SiO₅:Pr³⁺ PYSNPs and their subsequent incorporation in conventional photochromic films offers an exciting approach for fabricating photochromic smart windows with dynamically controlled transmission of solar radiation, which is a promising technology for reducing energy consumption associated with heating, ventilation, and air‐conditioning of buildings.