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Tag Archive for: electrochromic glass

Colored electrochromic glass may be available soon

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Colored electrochromic glass may be available soon

Colored electrochromic glass may be available soon

The desire to make glass buildings more energy efficient is strong. By itself, glass isn’t a very good thermal insulator. Heat can pass easily through glass, so whether you’re talking about heat loss or heat gain, the end result for glass isn’t promising.

Scientists have gone out of their way to develop coatings and technologies that can help glass become more energy efficient. Electrochromic glass is one of those technologies that changes the tint on glass from clear to dark, but it also offers the benefit of keeping the inside temperatures manageable.

When the glass switches from transparent to tinted, it rejects the infrared light frequencies that generate extra heat. Currently electrochromic glass comes in one “color” – which happens to be blue. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in Potsdam-Golm have developed a new technique for creating electrochromic glass in colors other than blue.

The project is being underwritten by the German government, and could create a range of decorative colored glasses that offer the same or similar energy-saving properties. Currently, electrochromic glass is created by applying a thin film of indium tin oxide or fluorine tin oxide to a single pane of glass. This first coating makes the glass conductive. A second glass pane is similarly prepared, and coated with an additional layer of tungsten oxide, which will change color when voltage is applied. The glass panes are put together face-to-face with a thin electrolyte layer between them.

When a low voltage is applied to electrochromic glass, the tungsten oxide coating darkens enough to reject heat-generating IR lightwaves, but not enough to eliminate visible light transmission. The switch can take some time – between 15 and 20 minutes. That’s true whether the glass is darkening or lightening.

The German researchers are investigating a different production technique that eliminates the second coating of tungsten oxide and using a UV cured resin filling in place of the electrolyte. A direct current to the surface causes form an electrochromic polymer. The technique has a few significant advantages over traditional electrochromic glass. First, a color shift can take place using much less voltage and second, it allows the addition of organic colorants that can produce colors other than blue. Finally, a switch from a transparent state to a colored one can take place in about 30 seconds.

The new manufacturing method also produces glass tiles that are strong enough to be mounted overhead or under foot. It could also be installed in vehicles, like ships or cars.

The new colored electrochromic glass is still in development, but Glassprimer™ glass paint can offer a highly economical substitute for creating colored glass. Glassprimer™ glass paint bonds permanently to glass surfaces and could be used to coat either interior or exterior projects. For more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our website.

Photo Credit: picsessionsart, via Flickr

Smart glass can tint automatically or manually

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Smart glass can tint automatically or manually

Smart glass can tint automatically or manually

Scientists and materials engineers have been working with “smart” glass for awhile. Smart glass can change its opacity, usually when an electric current is applied to particles embedded in the glass. Photochromic glasses can tint when they detect UV light. Kinestral, a startup based in Hayward, CA, has developed a new type of electrochromic glass that can change opacity either on demand or automatically, based on conditions or programming.

According to the company, the new glass is virtually indistinguishable from regular glass when it is in its untinted state. Halio glass can be tinted manually, using a wall-mounted control panel. It also responds to voice commands and requests from a smartphone app. In addition, the glass is “programmable.” It can respond to a preset program from the control pad, or it can be programmed to respond to conditions including weather changes, the time of day, or the presence of sunlight.

That’s not Halio’s only set of tricks. Individual panes of glass can be controlled separately, meaning that one panel, or a group of panels can be tinted, while others appear perfectly clear. In addition, users can select the depth of shading that each window achieves. The glass can also be used for entirely interior applications to provide privacy or shading for offices, meeting rooms and conference rooms.

The shading effect isn’t instantaneous. It takes about five minutes for the glass to change from its lightest to darkest shading. Kinestral hasn’t yet put Halio on the market; the glass will be available for purchase in certain regions starting in 2017. The company has not yet said where the product roll-out will start, but it intends to make the glass available globally in 2018.

One inexpensive way to control the transmission of heat and light is through the use of Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint is specially formulated to adhere to glass surfaces permanently. Once cured, Glassprimer™ glass paint will not chip, fade or peel, even in direct sunlight. The paint can be tinted to match the paint palette of any major paint manufacturer, and comes in low-VOC oil- and water-based formulations.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: seier + seier, via Flickr.com

MIT Researchers Develop Switchable Glass

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MIT Researchers Develop Switchable Glass

MIT Researchers Develop Switchable Glass

Switchable glass – glass that changes from transparent to opaque and back again – isn’t new, but researchers at MIT have developed a glass that uses power only when the glass switches. The stable-state switchable glass could significantly reduce energy consumption in buildings that receive direct sunlight, and also offer a low-power alternative to traditional switchable glass.

Switchable glass doesn’t require power

Typically, switchable glass requires power to remain in its opaque state. The regular (although low) power drain diminishes the savings that the glass generates. By developing glass that requires power only when it is actively switching states, the team has created a potentially new option for energy-saving glass.

The new glass is made from electrochromic materials, rather than photochromic ones. The new material switches states instantly when electricity is applied. In contrast, photochromic materials have a delayed response to the presence of light. Existing electrochromic materials also have similar limitations, and require constant power to retain their opacity.

Electrochromic materials rely on the movement of both electrons and positive ions to create an opaque effect. While electrons move very quickly, positively charged ions – which do the actual color-changing work, do not. When the electrical current is discontinued, the negative electrical state that attracts the positive ions is canceled, which also cancels the opacity of the glass.

The new glass uses metal-organic frameworks (MOF), which can conduct both electrons and positive ions very quickly. This eliminates the delay in achieving opacity. Another benefit of the technique is that the research team has been able to create a “near-black” color when the glass is opaque.

The glass also uses a combination of an organic material and a metal salt that self-assembles into a thin film that can switch between virtual transparency and virtual opacity quickly.

The glass is still experimental, and the researchers are currently working with very small glass. The next step is to increase the size of the glass and verify that the properties it displays on a small scale still work on a larger scale. If perfected, the glass could be used in buildings, airplanes and other locations where it can address issues of glare or energy consumption.

One way to address both glare and energy consumption today is through the use of Glassprimer™ glass paint. Glassprimer™ glass paint provides exceptional UV-light rejection while allowing visible light transmission. Glassprimer™ glass paint is applied directly to glass, and makes a permanent bond with the glass. It is suitable for both interior and exterior use, is available in virtually any color and costs about $1 per square foot.

If you’d like more information about Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit the rest of our site. If you’d like to purchase Glassprimer™ glass paint, please visit our online store .

Photo Credit: Khalid Abdulaziz Kaabi and Dennis Sheberla