Dynamic shade with reactive gas compatible desiccant, and/or associated methods

An insulating glass (IG) unit, comprising:

• first and second substrates, each having interior and exterior major surfaces, the interior major surface of the first substrate facing the interior major surface of the second substrate;
• a spacer system helping to maintain the first and second substrates in substantially parallel spaced apart relation to one another and to define a gap therebetween, wherein the gap is at least partially filled with a reactive gas having an ionization threshold no greater than that of CO2 gas;
• a dynamically controllable shade interposed between the first and second substrates, the shade including:
• a first conductive layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the interior major surface of the first substrate;
• a first dielectric layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive layer on a side thereof opposite the first substrate;
• and
• a shutter including a flexible substrate supporting a second conductive layer, the shutter being extendible from a shutter open position to a shutter closed position and being retractable from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position;
• a control circuit configured to provide a voltage to create electrostatic forces that drive the flexible substrate to the shutter closed position;
• and
• a desiccant material comprising a salt, the desiccant material being located in a body of the spacer system.

A method of making an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising:

• having first and second substrates, each having interior and exterior major surfaces, the interior major surface of the first substrate facing the interior major surface of the second substrate;
• providing a dynamically controllable shade on the first and/or second substrate, the shade including:
• a first conductive layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the interior major surface of the first substrate;
• a first dielectric layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the first conductive layer on a side thereof opposite the first substrate;
• and
• a shutter including a flexible substrate supporting a second conductive layer, the shutter being extendible from a shutter open position to a shutter closed position and being retractable from the shutter closed position to the shutter open position;
• and
• connecting the first and second substrates to one another in substantially parallel, spaced apart relation using a spacer system, such that a gap is defined therebetween and such that the dynamically controllable shade is located in the gap, wherein the gap is at least partially filled with a reactive gas having an ionization threshold no greater than that of SF6 gas,
• wherein a desiccant material is located in a body of the spacer system, the desiccant material including a salt, and the desiccant material being compatible with the reactive gas such that the desiccant material fails to trap an appreciable number of molecules therefrom.