CONSTRUCTIONS FOR MOISTURE SENSITIVE THERMOCHROMIC LAYERS AND STRUCTURES HAVING REDUCED MOISTURE CONTENT IN THERMOCHROMIC LAYERS

1 . A stack or roll of alternating layers of films or sheets comprising:

an interlayer film or sheet comprising a thermochromic PVB, wherein the thermochromic PVB comprises a polymer, at least one transition metal ion, at least one high epsilon ligand capable of forming a high epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion and at least one low epsilon ligand capable of forming an low epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion; and

a desiccant-containing film or sheet juxtaposed or interleaved with the interlayer film or sheet;

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet prevents blocking of the interlayer film or sheet;

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is capable of removing moisture from the interlayer film or sheet; and

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is releasably attached to the interlayer film or sheet.

2 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet interleaves the interlayer film or sheet.

3 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet has a textured surface or is bonded to a support that has a textured surface.

4 . The stack or roll of claim 3 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is embossed to provide the textured surface.

5 . The stack or roll of claim 3 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is bonded to one or more than one permeable support layer.

6 . The stack or roll of claim 3 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is bonded to one or more than one layer of mesh or fabric.

7 . The stack or roll of claim 3 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is bonded to one or more than one layer of nonwoven.

8 . The stack or roll of claim 7 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is bonded to one or more than one layer of polyethylene nonwoven.

9 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the stack or roll is packaged or wrapped in an external film that cooperates with the desiccant-containing film or sheet to provide a thermochromic PVB film or sheet exhibiting reduced moisture.

10 . The stack or roll of claim 1 comprising the interlayer film and the desiccant-containing film wound into a roll.

11 . The stack or roll of claim 10 wherein the desiccant-containing film resides on the outer surface of the roll.

12 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet comprises polyethylene and calcium oxide particles.

13 . The stack or roll of claim 12 wherein the desiccant-containing film is a polyethylene film having calcium oxide particles dispersed therein which is overcoated on one or both sides with a moisture-permeable low density polyethylene.

14 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the interlayer film or sheet and the desiccant-containing film or sheet are both textured, wherein the texture of the desiccant-containing film or sheet helps preserve the texture of the interlayer film or sheet.

15 . The stack or roll of claim 1 comprising a sealed bag with a foil lining therein, wherein the sealed bag contains the stack or roll of the interlayer film or sheet and the desiccant-containing film or sheet.

16 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the moisture content of the interlayer film or sheet is below about 0.4%.

17 . The stack or roll of claim 1 wherein the wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet has a thickness from 0.001 inches to 0.01 inches.

18 . A stack or roll of alternating layers of films or sheets comprising:

an interlayer film or sheet comprising a thermochromic PVB, wherein the thermochromic PVB comprises a polymer, at least one transition metal ion, at least one high epsilon ligand capable of forming a high epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion and at least one low epsilon ligand capable of forming an low epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion; and

a desiccant-containing film or sheet juxtaposed or interleaved with the interlayer film or sheet;

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet has a textured surface or is bonded to a support that has a textured surface.

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet prevents blocking of the interlayer film or sheet;

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is capable of removing moisture from the interlayer film or sheet; and

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is releasably attached to the interlayer film or sheet.

19 . A stack or roll of alternating layers of films or sheets comprising:

an interlayer film or sheet comprising a thermochromic PVB, wherein the thermochromic PVB comprises a polymer, at least one transition metal ion, at least one high epsilon ligand capable of forming a high epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion and at least one low epsilon ligand capable of forming an low epsilon metal-ligand complex with the transition metal ion;

wherein the interlayer film or sheet has a textured surface; and

a desiccant-containing film or sheet juxtaposed or interleaved with the interlayer film or sheet;

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet has a textured surface or is bonded to a support that has a textured surface.

wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet is capable of removing moisture from the interlayer film or sheet; and

wherein the textured surface of the desiccant-containing film or sheet or the support is releasably attached to the textured surface of the interlayer film or sheet.

20 . The stack or roll of claim 19 wherein the desiccant-containing film or sheet prevents blocking of the interlayer film or sheet.