Preparation of Lanthanide Aluminate and Glass Nanofiber-Supported Polyacrylonitrile Plastic Smart Window

Abstract

Lanthanides are a common component in glass windows for smart products. However, glasses are fragile and inflexible, corrosive to alkali, and costly, whereas plastics are cheap, durable, and safe. Herein, afterglow and photochromic smart plastic windows were developed by reinforcing polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with electrospun glass nanofibers (GNF; 65–125 nm). Transparent films with photoluminescence properties were introduced by physically immobilizing rare-earth doped aluminate nanoparticles (REAN; 7–13 nm) into a composite of GNF@PAN. When irradiated with ultraviolet light, the GNF@PAN samples showed a change in color from transparent to green as proved by coloration parameters and photoluminescence spectra. An emission band was detected at 518 nm upon excitation at 365 nm. The morphology of the photoluminescent hybrids was investigated by different analytical techniques. The scratch resistance of GNF@PAN was significantly enhanced when the REAN content was increased. With low concentration levels of REAN, GNF@PAN quickly reversed photochromism to signify fluorescence emission. GNF@PAN with high REAN concentrations showed afterglow emission via prolonged emission in the dark. The photoluminescent hybrids showed enhanced superhydrophobic and ultraviolet blocking upon increasing the phosphor content. The photoluminescent plastics displayed an improved hydrophobicity from 139.1° to 150.8° when the phosphor content was increased.