Thermoresponsive hydrogels have been studied in the past as self-healing and ultra-porous materials. Single-network (SN) and double-network (DN) hydrogels were synthesised in this research using acrylamide, acrylic acid, and alginate. Nano reinforcements were added only to increase the mechanical strength which is reported up to 300%. These DN hydrogels showed brilliant cooling performance showing 8–12°C lesser in a coated house for over 7 h with a single hydration cycle. Tough hydrogels were tested under direct sunlight on wooden and brick houses during the summer of Pakistan, where a 10–20°C temperature difference was reported. Thermographs and FTIR spectra showed that the ionic and covalent crosslinkers were responsible for the excellent robustness. DN hydrogel gave better strength and cooling effectiveness for a longer period than SN hydrogels. Carbon emission and electricity consumption can be reduced using DN hydrogels. These hydrogels can aid the industry of smart buildings and passive cooling.
HuX, ChengW, ShaoZ, Synthesis and characterization of temperature-sensitive hydrogels. e-Polymers. 2015; 15 ( 5 ). DOI: 10.1515/epoly-2015-0157
5.
LoonenRCGM. Bio-inspired adaptive building skins. In: Biotechnologies and biomimetics for civil engineering. 2015. p. 115–134. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-09287-4
6.
KimD, LeeHS, YoonJ.Remote control of volume phase transition of hydrogels containing graphene oxide by visible light irradiation. RSC Adv. 2014; 4 ( 48 ): 25379–25383. DOI: 10.1039/C4RA01537A
7.
KimYS, LiuM, IshidaY, Thermoresponsive actuation enabled by permittivity switching in an electrostatically anisotropic hydrogel. Nat Mater. 2015; 14 ( 10 ): 1002–1007. DOI: 10.1038/nmat4363
8.
RotzetterACC, SchumacherCM, BubenhoferSB, Thermoresponsive polymer induced sweating surfaces as an efficient way to passively cool buildings. 2012. p. 5352–5356. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201202574
9.
CuiS, AhnC, WingertMC, Bio-inspired effective and regenerable building cooling using tough hydrogels. Appl Energy. 2016; 168: 332–339. DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.01.058
10.
CuiS, HuY, HuangZ, Cooling performance of bio-mimic perspiration by temperature-sensitive hydrogel. Int J Therm Sci. 2014; 79: 276–282. DOI: 10.1016/J.IJTHERMALSCI.2014.01.015
11.
PuS, SuJ, LiL, Bioinspired sweating with temperature sensitive hydrogel to passively dissipate heat from high-end wearable electronics. Energy Convers Manag. 2019; 180: 747–756. DOI: 10.1016/J.ENCONMAN.2018.11.027
12.
González-DomínguezJM, MartínC, DuráÓJ, Smart hybrid graphene hydrogels: a study of the different responses to mechanical stretching stimulus. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2018; 10 ( 2 ): 1987–1995. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b14404
13.
SpizzirriUG, CurcioM, CirilloG, Recent advances in the synthesis and biomedical applications of nanocomposite hydrogels. Pharmaceutics. 2015: 413–437. DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics7040413
14.
FengH, ZhengT, WangX, Poly(acrylamide)-MWNTs hybrid hydrogel with extremely high mechanical strength. Open Chem. 2016; 14 ( 1 ): 150–157. DOI: 10.1515/chem-2016-0017
15.
MartinM, BerdahlP.Summary of results from the spectral and angular sky radiation measurement program. Sol Energy. 1984; 33 ( 3–4 ): 241–252. DOI: 10.1016/0038-092X(84)90155-5
16.
KreithF, ManglikRBM. Principles of heat transfer. SI edition.
17.
AktacirMA, BüyükalacaO, YılmazT.A case study for influence of building thermal insulation on cooling load and air-conditioning system in the hot and humid regions. Appl Energy. 2010; 87 ( 2 ): 599–607. DOI: 10.1016/J.APENERGY.2009.05.008
AkkayaR, Ulusoy/HacettepeU. Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylamide/maleic acid)-based hydrogels composites Poli(Akrilamid-Maleik Asit) Temelli Hidrojel Kompozitlerin Hazırlanması ve Karakterizasyonu; 2011. Vol. 39.
20.
ChaHR, Ramesh BabuV, Krishna RaoKSV, Fabrication of amino acid based silver nanocomposite hydrogels from PVA-poly(acrylamide-co-acryloyl phenylalanine) and their antimicrobial studies. Bull Korean Chem Soc. 2012; 33 ( 10 ): 3191–3195. DOI: 10.5012/bkcs.2012.33.10.3191
21.
Madhusudana RaoK, Krishna RaoKSV, RamanjaneyuluG, Biodegradable sodium alginate-based semi-interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels for antibacterial application. J Biomed Mater Res A. 2014; 102 ( 9 ): 3196–3206. DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.34991
22.
DaudJ, WarzukniNS, SalimR, Semi-refined k-Carrageenan: part 1. Chemical modification of semi-refined?-Carrageenan via graft copolymerization method, optimization process and characterization of its superabsorbent hydrogel. Orient J Chem. 2015; 31 ( 2 ): 973–980. DOI: 10.13005/ojc/310243
23.
SadeghiM, MohammadinasabE, ShafieiF, Biodegradable hydrogels based on alginate for control drug delivery systems. Curr World Environ J. 2014; 9 ( 1 ): 109–113. DOI: 10.12944/CWE.9.1.16
24.
HongJ, HongCK, ChoeS, Preparation of poly(acrylamide)/MWNTs nanocomposite using carboxylated MWNTs. J Polym Sci A Polym Chem. 2007; 45 ( 15 ): 3477–3481. DOI: 10.1002/pola.22122
