US 11,681,176 B2 · Solar reflective and absorptive electrically-switchable film and glazing

Abstract

The present invention provides a solar reflective-absorptive device, comprising: an IR reflective transparent conductive film; a flexible transparent conductive film; a layer of liquid crystal dispersion in polymer matrix or polymer dispersion in liquid crystal domains allocated between said flexible IR reflective transparent conductive film and said flexible transparent conductive film. The liquid crystal dispersion is in polymer matrix or polymer dispersion domains, and comprises metalorganic dye compositions with absorption in the visible and/or IR regions of solar spectrum. The aforesaid liquid crystal dispersion consists of nematic mixtures and/or cholesteric mixtures comprising of chiral mesogenic or none-mesogenic chiral materials in nematic for IR absorption and/or broadband cholesteric materials for dynamic (electrically tunable) IR and visible absorption. The switching capability of the device will be carried out through reorientation of the liquid crystal dispersion sandwiched between said at least one transparent IR-reflective flexible conductive support and said transparent flexible conductive support.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A solar absorbing-reflective film, comprising:

a flexible infrared (IR) reflective transparent conductive film (20) comprising a single layer of a single material;
a flexible transparent conductive film (30) comprising a single layer of a single material;
at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersion located between said flexible IR reflective transparent conductive film and said flexible transparent conductive film (10), said liquid crystal dispersion comprising metal-organic mesogen dye compositions;
and,
at least one electrical contact in communication with said flexible transparent conductive film;
wherein:
said liquid crystal dispersion comprises at least one liquid crystal mixture selected from the group consisting of:
a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture characterized by broad-band wavelength reflecting capabilities;
a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture characterized by a broad-band wavelength reflecting capability characterized by a pitch in an IR region;
and,
chiral nematic mixtures of liquid crystal in said liquid crystal dispersion adapted to behave as a broadband cholesteric phase;
and,
said at least one liquid crystal mixture is configured to allow IR reflection of said solar absorbing-reflective film to be dynamically controlled by an amount of electric field applied.

10 more elements

A method for manufacturing a solar absorbing-reflective film, comprising:

providing at least one flexible infra-red (IR) reflective transparent conductive film (20) comprising a single layer of a single material;
providing at least one flexible transparent conductive film (30) comprising a single layer of a single material;
positioning at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersion (10) comprising metal-organic mesogen dyes compositions between said at least one flexible IR reflective transparent conductive film and said at least one flexible transparent conductive film;
and,
connecting an electrical contact to at least one of said at least one flexible transparent conductive film;
wherein:
said liquid crystal dispersion comprises at least one liquid crystal mixture selected from the group consisting of:
a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture characterized by broad-band wavelength reflecting capabilities;
a cholesteric liquid crystal mixture characterized by a broad-band wavelength reflecting capability characterized by a pitch in an IR region;
and,
chiral nematic mixtures of liquid crystal in said liquid crystal dispersion adapted to behave as a broadband cholesteric phase;
and,
said step of positioning at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersion comprises positioning said at least one layer of liquid crystal dispersion such that IR reflection of said film is dynamically controlled by an amount of electric field.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Solar reflective and absorptive electrically-switchable film and glazing

Life of this patent

Solar reflective and absorptive electrically-switchable film and glazing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20