Open Access

ARTICLE

Modular Design Using Sustainable Luminescent Materials in Energy-Saving Reflective Cat’s Eyes for Public Road Safety Planning

Lung-Yin Lin¹, Yu-Shing Chang^2,*

1 Department of Industrial Design, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan
2 Department of Business Administration, National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, 404, Taiwan

* Corresponding Author: Yu-Shing Chang. Email:

(This article belongs to this Special Issue: New Trends in Sustainable Materials for Energy Conversion, CO₂ Capture and Pollution Control)

Journal of Renewable Materials 2022, 10(5), 1415-1437. https://doi.org/10.32604/jrm.2022.018408

Received 22 July 2021; Accepted 24 August 2021; Issue published 22 December 2021

Abstract

Recently, there has been a global movement toward environmental protection and energy conservation through the design and development of new products in accordance with sustainable utilisation. In this study, rare earth luminescent materials were used owing to their active light emission and reusability. Additionally, solar light-emitting diode lights and car-light reflection were utilised to increase the recognition and reliability of reflective cat eyes. Along with carbon reduction, this can save energy and enhance road safety. This study considered the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving and a literature review to analyse the issues in existing products. Then, expert interviews were conducted to screen projects and develop product design policies. Finally, the ratio of light-storage materials was experimentally determined and the prototypes implemented. This cat’s eye addresses the shortcomings identified in previous analyses of existing products. We applied energy storage environmental protection materials, together with material proportioning (which balanced warning efficiency against cost-effectiveness) to develop diversified modular kits; these were flexible in terms of quantity and easily assembled. This study achieved four key objectives: (1) reducing the research and development costs of the manufacturer; (2) offering buyers a diverse suite of products; (3) responding to a need to improve diverse road user safety; and (4) reducing government procurement costs for safety warning products. The results provide a reference for the creative modular design of energy-saving products for public road safety planning in various industries.

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Keywords

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