Thermochromic Halide Perovskite Materials and Applications

Metal halide perovskites are crystalline materials defined by the general formula ABX₃, where A is an organic or inorganic cation, B is a metal cation and X is a halide anion. Thermochromic variants of these perovskites exhibit reversible optical or colour changes in response to temperature fluctuations, driven by alterations in crystal structure, phase composition or complex formation. In hybrid organic–inorganic systems, temperature‐induced shifts in hydrogen‐bonding networks, polymorphic transitions or intercalation chemistry govern critical transition temperatures that can be tuned from room temperature to above 100 °C. These materials have been integrated into smart windows that modulate solar heat gain, energy-efficient building facades, stimuli-responsive displays and switchable photovoltaic devices that combine dynamic transparency with power generation. Advances in composite architectures—such as polymer-mediated assembly/disassembly—and in layered perovskite superlattices have enabled high contrast ratios, multicolour reversibility and rapid cycling stability. The global significance of thermochromic halide perovskites lies in their promise to reduce energy consumption in built environments, to provide adaptive optoelectronic devices and to open new avenues in temperature-activated sensing and information display.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated a photovoltaic window that operates as both a transparent glazing and a solar cell. Photothermal heating of a methylammonium lead iodide–methylamine complex switches the absorber from a high-transmittance state to a coloured, light-harvesting state. Upon cooling, the complex re-forms, restoring transparency and allowing visible light to pass while resetting the photovoltaic function. This approach overcomes the trade-off between light transmittance and power conversion in semi-transparent solar windows.

Layered formamidinium lead halide perovskites have been shown to undergo reversible multicolour chromism. By modulating hydrogen bonding through temperature changes, the dimensionality of Ruddlesden–Popper structures is altered, shuttling salt pairs between perovskite domains and adjacent reservoir phases. The result is a reversible spectrum of colours—from colourless through yellow, orange, red and brown—each phase exhibiting distinct optoelectronic properties rooted in quantum-well thickness.

Thermochromic Halide Perovskite Materials and Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermochromic halide perovskite materials and applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Thermochromism: Reversible change in optical properties or colour of a material induced by temperature variation.

Metal Halide Perovskite: A crystalline structure of formula ABX₃ where A is a cation (organic or inorganic), B is a metal cation and X is a halide anion, notable for optoelectronic properties.

Ruddlesden–Popper Phase: A layered perovskite structure comprising alternating perovskite sheets and organic or inorganic spacer layers, allowing tunable quantum-well thickness.

Photothermal Effect: Conversion of absorbed light into heat, triggering structural or optical changes in a material.

Transition Temperature: The critical temperature at which a material undergoes a phase or structural change, resulting in altered optical or physical properties.

References

1. Thermochromic Halide Perovskite Windows with Ideal Transition Temperatures. Advanced Energy Materials (2023).
2. Switchable photovoltaic windows enabled by reversible photothermal complex dissociation from methylammonium lead iodide. Nature Communications (2017).
3. Reversible multicolor chromism in layered formamidinium metal halide perovskites. Nature Communications (2020).
4. Thermochromic Printable and Multicolor Polymeric Composite Based on Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskite. Advanced Materials (2023).