Switchable mirror glass using magnesium-containing thin film

A switchable mirror member comprising a transparent substrate, and a switchable layer including a switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C., and
• said switchable layer is formed on a surface of said transparent substrate.

A switchable mirror glass comprising a glass substrate, and a switchable layer including a switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C., and
• said switchable layer is formed on a surface of said glass substrate.

A switchable mirror glass window having an insulating glass structure which includes a plurality of glass plates disposed in parallel with each other to define at least one enclosed space therebetween, wherein at least one of said glass plates is composed of a switchable mirror glass comprising a glass substrate, and a switchable layer including a switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C.;
• said switchable layer is formed on a surface of said glass substrate;
• and
• said switchable layer faces in the inward direction of said insulating glass structure.

A method of switching the states of a switchable mirror glass comprising a switchable layer including a switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C.,
• comprising a step of selectively causing hydrogenation and dehydrogenation in said switchable layer, by means of selectively adjusting the level of said hydrogenation through at least one of a gasochromic process using hydrogen gas and an electrochromic process using electrolyte containing hydrogen, and selectively adjusting the level of the dehydrogenation through at least one of a gasochromic process using air or oxygen gas, an electrochromic process using electrolyte and a thermochromic process based on heating.

A method of switching the states of a switchable mirror member or glass with a switchable layer including a switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C.,
• comprising a step of presetting a transition temperature of said magnesium thin film at any temperature in a range of about 20° C. to 100° C. to allow said magnesium thin film to be automatically switched from the transparent state to the mirror state at said preset temperature in response to a rise in atmospheric temperature.

An article comprising a switchable layer including the switchable mirror material comprising:

• (1) a magnesium thin film having a thickness of 40 nm or less, or
• a magnesium-nickel alloy thin film having an alloy composition represented by MgNix wherein 0.1<x<0.3;
• and
• (2) a transparent catalyst layer formed on a surface of said thin film, wherein
• said switchable mirror material has a chromic property which allows said thin film to be switched from a mirror state into a transparent state by means of hydrogenation of said thin film at about 20° C., and to be switched from said transparent state into said mirror state by means of dehydrogenation of said thin film in a temperature range of said about 20° C. to 100° C.,
• and (3) either one of a switchable mirror glass and a switchable mirror member having a transparent substrate, wherein said switchable layer is attached onto the surface of said switchable mirror glass or said transparent substrate.