Recent developments in smart window engineering: from antibacterial activity to self-cleaning behavior

Abstract This chapter discusses about recent advancements on smart coating and their potential applications in smart window engineering. First part of this book-chapter will discuss about recent developments in Smart-window technology. It has potential to exhibit different applications using various sources such as light, heat, and voltage to produce unique properties. In comparison to normal static windows, smart windows can modulate solar transmittance of NIR and visible light depending on weather conditions and personal preferences of human beings inside the door. Although very few smart windows are commercially available in the market, their demand is not yet to be realized. On the other hand, latest engineered nanostructured materials contribute new opportunities for future smart window technology. Initially, this article will elaborate the antibacterial activities of smart coating technology. Antibacterial surfaces are of great importance due to their potential application in coating of medical devices and implants, paints, food packaging, transportation etc. Final section of this chapter will illustrate wettability research done on novel material surfaces including smart windows. Understanding solid–liquid interface at fundamental level is of tremendous implication due to their potential application in creating self-cleaning and self-lubricating surfaces. These types of advanced thin film surfaces can have multiple potential applications ranging from everyday life to advanced technological utilization such as transparent coating of smart windows to microfluidics to fabrication of advanced nano-biomaterials.