Let’s know what is the dimming glass/electrochromic glass

Background

In the late 1980s, Americans invented a glass that can switch to a transparent state. Because it is more intelligent, it is named "Smart Switchable Glass", which means smart, glass that can switch states.

After the introduction of dimming glass in China, a variety of different names appeared, such as atomized glass, energized glass, smart glass, magic glass, privacy glass, and so on. So, which name is more appropriate for this new type of glass? Let's check one by one.

Several names of the dimming glass

Dimming Glass

The name "dimming glass" is used more by manufacturers and sellers, but this abbreviation is not very appropriate. What kind of light is dimming?

Dimming adjusts the transmittance of direct light, that is, adjusts the state of the glass from fog to transparency, or from transparent to fog.

Some people who are exposed to dimming glass for the first time are often puzzled by the word "dimming". Even if he knows the principle of the product, he will be mistaken for adjusting the brightness of the light until he sees the real thing. However, there are indeed glasses to adjust the brightness of the light, it is no wonder that some people will misunderstand.

Atomized glass

The term "atomized glass" may be more familiar to ordinary users, because it appears more in the media. Similar names include "electrically atomized glass", "electrically atomized glass" and "electrically atomized glass", so that some people often think that it is a glass that becomes atomized after being energized.

In fact, its correct expression is: nebulized glass that needs to be powered on. It is transparent only when it is energized, and it is atomized when it is not energized. This is the confusion caused by using the abbreviation.

Other names

Other terms, such as energized glass, smart glass, magic glass, privacy glass, etc., only illustrate a certain feature of this glass, the word is too simple, and it is easy to be confused with some similar products, so only a few people call it that.

In short, the names of "dimming glass" and "atomized glass" are not accurate enough, but they have been circulated and have high reputation, so everyone is more recognized.

What is dimming glass and how does it work?

Dimming glass is a special glass for architectural decoration, also known as electronic curtains, which can control the transparency of glass through voltage. Its main working principle is to add a layer of liquid crystal dimming film (PDLC) between the glass. This is a product based on film technology. The liquid crystal molecules are attached to the ITO substrate. The electrodes at the light-transmitting edge introduce current. The power supply changes the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules to control the transparency of the glass. The dimmable glass can freely switch the permeability of the space. It is a curtain that can be remotely controlled at will. Privacy protection is under your control.

•         When energized, the polymer liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal film will be ordered under the action of the electric field, so that the light can easily penetrate the glass and become transparent

•         When the power is turned off, the polymer liquid crystal material will be disrupted and cannot be normally sorted into the atomized state, the ratio is non-transparent

What is the thickness of the dimming glass? How thick is the dimmer glass?

Common glass thicknesses?

The country has strict standards for the thickness of flat glass. Common thicknesses are 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, etc., to suit different industrial needs.

Too thin?

Dimming glass generally uses two 5mm tempered glasses, plus a film with an intermediate layer of about 1.5 ~ 2mm and a liquid crystal dimming film, and the total thickness is between 11.5 ~ 12mm (that is, 5 + 1.5 + 5 = 11.5). Two pieces of 4mm glass can also be used, but the glass can only be semi-tempered or non-tempered, the safety performance is slightly lower, and the height cannot generally exceed 2.5 meters. The 3mm glass is too thin, it is very easy to break during the glue process, and the yield is low.

Dimming glass thickness recommendations

Dimming glass lamination generally uses two layers of 0.76mm film. When the thickness of the glass increases, the film also needs to increase two layers or use a thicker film to ensure that the lamination is stable. As the thickness increases, the haze of the glass also increases, which means that the light transmission effect becomes poor, and the glass feels less transparent like fog. As the thickness increases, the cost of raw materials and transportation costs will increase accordingly.

4 + 4: places where the thickness needs to be strictly controlled and the height does not exceed 2.5 meters, such as office partition walls and furniture glass doors.

5 + 5 (or 6 + 6): common thickness, height not exceeding 3.5 meters, widely used. General office, hotel partition walls or doors are used more.

8 + 8: It is the second most common thickness, with good sound insulation and more applications in partitioning.

10 + 10: It is relatively rare and can withstand greater strength. If it is made into a floor, people can walk on it.

Frequently asked questions about smart dimming glass

1.   In which fields is dimming glass suitable? 

The biggest trend of dimming glass is the hotel shower room, office partitions, doors, windows, curtain walls and so on. Ensure privacy and clear projection effects.

2.   Why most of the current designs use dimmable glass instead of ordinary tempered glass? 

First, ordinary tempered glass, use film or curtains / louvers to hide the space after use. Second, like the office now under leadership, the pursuit of high atmosphere, high-grade, and dimming glass is a high-tech technology product, which meets the requirements of leadership. Third, using ordinary glass or louvered glass, cleaning after use is quite laborious, and the atomized glass only needs to be wiped with clean water. Fourth, in addition to the use of dimming glass as a curtain, it can also be used as a projection curtain wall, multi-functional use.

3.    Do you need to remove the original glass and reinstall it if you want to change the dimming glass?

The answer is no! Intelligent dimming products include not only dimming glass, but also intelligent electronically controlled dimming film. Only need to paste the electric control dimming film on the basis of the original glass doors and windows, you can also enjoy the intelligent dimming life. However, the use effect and lifespan are definitely not as good as the laminated dimming glass.

4.    How to control the glass, how about the switching speed?

For easy operation, dimming glass has a variety of control methods such as wall switch, remote control, and touch control. Other control methods can also be designed by themselves, such as mobile phone APP control, remote control, etc. It can switch the atomization or transparent state at will within one second, and protect privacy instantly.

5.    How is the price?

The price of dimming glass is not fixed and depends on many factors, including the size and shape of the glass, as well as the occasion of use and the need to dig holes.

6.    What kind of electricity is used in dimming glass and how to ensure safety？

In China, dimming glass (dimming film, self-adhesive film) can use 36V, 45V, 48V, 60V output voltage, as long as the dimming glass is installed according to the requirements, to ensure that the wiring is scientific, you can ensure safety. And we could customize per customer’s local voltage.

7.    How to maintain and clean the dimming glass?

The cleaning of dimming glass is actually the same as ordinary glass. Wipe it with a slightly damp cloth, or use a glass-specific cleaning agent and tools.