Imagine an intelligent glass that you could change from an ordinary looking transparent glass to a frosted glass with the flick of a switch. It could be used in windows of office and home replacing curtains, blinds or shades. It is perfect for skylights, sloped glass and window walls. It can be used in any type of window system including insulating, reflective or tinted glass.
Technology used:
It is composed of liquid crystal film(LC).LC film is made up of electrically conducive coatings, polymer matrix and liquid crystals.LC film has electrical wiring connected to a transformer to supply power.LC film is sandwiched between two layers of transparent conductive film and is then laminated between two sheets of glass. In the “on mode “glass is in transparent state as the liquid crystals line up. In the “off mode “glass is in frosted state as the liquid crystals turn to their normal positions.
On Mode Off Mode
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By applying this switchable glass to windows in homes, offices and cars, the scientists estimate that reduced air conditioning needs and could result in an energy savings of up to 30%. The beauty of switchable glass allows you to control what type of lighting you want for your home. This glass consumes low electric of about 5 W/m2 .It is a better replacement of curtains and blinds .It can have many forms like curved, silk-screen printed or sand-blasted .It has an excellent projection screen, a reliable material and ideal for hiding precious items to be revealed only to selective customers . This type of glass can be used in partitions,glass doors etc. By applying a variable voltage to the window we can continuously vary the amount of transmitted light. Scientists at the AIST are currently working on maximizing the durability of the switchable glass, and overcoming the deterioration that arises due to repeated switching. Also, because the magnesium-titanium alloy can be applied to transparent materials besides glass, more applications may yet be discovered.
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