Recycling of smart windows
AssigneePolyceed Inc.
InventorAnoop Agrawal
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the methods of recycling electrochromic devices and also designing such devices while keeping recyclability in perspective. Recyclability includes recovering of certain materials for re-use within the same application or other applications. Using recycling reduces or eliminates waste stream quantities to be disposed of and/or reduces toxicity of these waste streams.
Claims19
A method of recycling an electrochromic window, wherein the electrochromic window comprises coated glass and organic components, wherein the coated glass comprises one or more coatings comprising a metal or metal oxide, wherein the metal forming the metal or metal oxide is at least one of lithium, indium, rhodium, ruthenium, tungsten, nickel, and tin, the method comprising:
- breaking the electrochromic glass window into broken glass pieces having an average size of less than 100 cm2;
- and heating the broken glass pieces to a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of the said glass to incinerate the organic components remaining on the glass and removing the metal or metal oxide from the one or more coatings without melting the glass.
A method of recycling an electrochromic glass mirror, wherein the electrochromic minor comprises coated glass and organic components, wherein the coated glass is coated with one or more coatings comprising one or more metals and metal oxides, and the metal in the one or more metals or metal oxides is at least one of lithium, indium, rhodium, ruthenium, tungsten, nickel, and tin, the method comprising:
- breaking the electrochromic glass mirror into broken glass pieces having an average size of less than 100 cm2;
- heating the broken glass pieces to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of the broken glass pieces;
- and
- incinerating the organic components sticking to the broken glass pieces and removing a portion of the one or more metals and metal oxides from the one or more coatings without melting the broken glass pieces.
A method of recycling an electrochromic window or minor comprising coated glass and organic components, wherein the coated glass is coated with one or more coatings comprising one or more metals and metal oxides, and the metal in the metals or metal oxides is at least one of lithium, indium, rhodium, ruthenium, tungsten, nickel, and tin, the method comprising:
- a recycling process comprising separating a portion of the organic components from the coated glass;
- heat treating the coated glass at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the coated glass;
- and
- incinerating organic components sticking to the coated glass and removing a portion of the one or more metals and metal oxides from the one or more coatings without melting the glass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.