Cement-based materials are widely used in construction worldwide, but they are vulnerable to environmental stressors and thermal fluctuations, leading to the formation of internal cracks that compromise structural integrity and durability. Traditional repair methods such as surface coatings, grouting, and groove filling are often costly and labor-intensive. In response, self-repairing technologies for cement-based materials have emerged as an innovative and promising solution, offering the potential to significantly extend the lifespan of structures and reduce maintenance costs. A particularly novel approach is the development of microcapsule-based self-repairing concrete. In this system, repair agents are encapsulated within microcapsules and combined with curing agents in the concrete matrix. When cracks form, the microcapsules rupture, releasing the repair agents to autonomously heal the damage. This self-repairing mechanism is characterized by its high efficiency, durability, environmental sustainability, and versatility, making it a promising alternative to traditional repair methods. Recent research has focused on the development of microcapsules with various core materials, such as TDI (toluene diisocyanate), IPDI (isophorone diisocyanate), or epoxy resin, as well as composite shell materials including paraffin wax, PE (polyethylene) wax, nano-SiO₂, and nano-CaCO₃. A novel advancement in this area involves the enhancement of microcapsules through the incorporation of magnetic nanomaterials into the shell, providing new possibilities for self-repairing systems that address cracks in cement-based materials.

The Na_xWO₃ nanoparticles with different x were synthesized by a solvothermal method and the absorption behavior in visible and near-infrared light (NIR) region was studied. Well-crystallized nanoparticles with sizes of several tens of nanometers were confirmed by XRD, SEM and TEM methods. The absorption valley in visible region shifted from 555 nm to 514 nm and the corresponding absorption peak in NIR region shifted from 1733 nm to 1498 nm with the increasing x. In addition, the extinction behavior of Na_xWO₃ nanoparticles with higher x values were simulated by discrete dipole approximation method and results showed that the changing behavior of optical properties was in good agreement with the experimental results. The experimental and theoretical data indicate that the transparency and NIR-shielding properties of Na_xWO₃ nanoparticles in the visible and NIR region can be continuously adjusted by x value in the whole range of 0 < x < 1. These tunable optical properties of nanocrystalline Na_xWO₃ will expand its application in the fields of transparent heat-shielding materials or optical filters.

The structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of GdB6 are studied using the first-principles calculations. Calculated values for magnetic and optical properties and lattice constant are found to be consistent with previously reported experimental results. The calculated results show that GdB6 is a perfect near-infrared absorption/reflectance material that could serve as a solar radiation shielding material for windows with high visible light transmittance, similar to LaB6, which is assigned to its plasma oscillation and a collective oscillation (volume plasmon) of carrier electrons. It was found that the magnetic 4f electrons of Gd are not relevant to the important optical properties of GdB6. These theoretical studies serve as a reference for future studies.

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) undergoing reversible metal-insulator phase transition could allow for the formation of an efficient thermochromic material for smart windows. However, solar radiation shielding performance is determined by transparent rutile VO2 filters, and the puzzling metal-insulator transition mechanism makes it challenging to explain the origin of the coexistence of strong near infrared absorption with high optical transparency. The band structure, the density of states, and the optical properties of rutile VO2 were calculated using the first-principles calculations. The calculated results of the structural and optical properties are in good agreement with the previously reported experimental findings. The calculated dielectric functions, electron energy-loss function and solar radiation shielding performance of the rutile VO2 filters indicate that rutile VO2 is a promising near-infrared absorption/reflectance material with the near-infrared radiation insulating abilities and a visible light transmittance. These properties arise from plasma oscillation and a collective oscillation (volume plasmons) of carrier electrons.