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Innovative Switchable Shading Appliances based on Nanomaterials and Hybrid Electrochromic Device Configurations

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Novel, low-cost smart glass technology

Electrochromic glasses that instantly glaze or darken offer great potential to commercial applications, however, high production costs and heavy weight may hinder widespread use. New and viable EU electrochromic shading technology will be a significant upgrade due to use of a flexible thin film.

Industrial Technologies icon Industrial Technologies

With EU funding of the INNOSHADE (Innovative switchable shading appliances based on nanomaterials and hybrid electrochromic device configurations) project, researchers employed electroactive materials in novel electrochromic devices (ECDs). Electroactive substances produce a reversible colour change due to a chemical reaction in response to a small applied voltage. The thin-film 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene-based polymers used by INNOSHADE enable fast colour switching with low energy consumption and support flexible ECDs. With high-throughput production methods such as continuous roll-to-roll processing, manufacturing costs were kept low. The thin electrochromic film developed by INNOSHADE represents a breakthrough in smart shading technology by overcoming common limitations of state-of-the-art ECDs. The film allows for retrofitting and provides lightweight, flexible and impact-resistant electrochromic films. Partners targeted the development of products in three specific areas: ophthalmic lenses, domestic appliances, and aircraft and vehicle applications. INNOSHADE's film brings significant environmental benefits and sustainable development properties such as reduced mounting space and weight, reduced heat loss and energy savings. Life-cycle assessment analyses already confirmed the low environmental impact of the technology. The film reduces air conditioning needs in cars and buildings, and eliminates thermal losses when integrated in cooker oven doors. In addition, there is no need for mechanical shades in aircraft cabins, leading to fuel savings due to its light weight. The basic ECD configuration is a sandwich structure of five thin layers. These are a polymer separation membrane, two electrodes on either side of the membrane and two transparent conductor layers on either side of the electrodes. Through application of a small voltage, lithium ions residing on the electrode migrate through the separator to the other electrode, controlling light and heat. Approximately 120 000 cycles were performed in the laboratory without causing any significant performance degradation. The film demonstrated excellent stability over a wide temperature range from – 50 to 120 degrees Celsius. INNOSHADE electrochromic technology reached the pilot scale, while further steps are required to be embraced by the industry.

Keywords

Smart glass, electrochromic, shading, thin film, electrochromic devices

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