The electrically controlled dimming film of thiol-vinyl ether system with low-voltage and high contrast ratio for smart windows

[Display omitted] •Systematic study of functional and structural compatibility of vinyl ether and thiol compounds.•The electro-optical performance of the electrically controlled dimming film is enhanced.•The film has good shielding effect and low power consumption at a low thickness of 8 µm.•The thermal insulation performance of PDLC is better, and the temperature difference between PDLC and ITO glass can reach 4 °C. As a type of smart window, polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) electrically controlled dimming film can respond to external electrical stimuli to regulate the optical flux of sunlight, reducing energy consumption. Herein, a PDLC film was prepared by systematically studying the functionalities and structural compatibility of vinyl ether and thiol compounds, and the optimal PDLC film possesses a superior contrast ratio (CR) of 196.9. When the film thickness is adjusted to 8 μm, the film saturation voltage is reduced to 6.7 V, still maintaining a high CR of 48.4. The well-designed PDLC films exhibited excellent modulation of light. The temperature difference between PDLC film and bare ITO glass can reach 4 °C under the simulated sunlight test, demonstrating the good thermal insulation performance. This smart films with low power consumption and high CR can meet the demand for active regulation of optical flux on smart windows.