NANO PARTICLE SOLAR CONTROL FILM
A solar control system for a vehicle window includes a substrate made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate, a thermochromic film formed on the substrate or on an intervening dielectric layer that is formed on the substrate, and a protective layer. The protective layer may be made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate and may be laminated on the thermochromic film or on a thermochromic core comprising one or more thermochromic film(s) and/or dielectric layer(s). The thermochromic film may include vanadium dioxide nanocrystals. The solar control system may be applied to a vehicle window such as a windshield of an automobile.
1 . A solar control system for a vehicle window, the solar control system comprising:
a substrate made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate;
a thermochromic film formed on the substrate, the thermochromic film including vanadium dioxide nanocrystals; and
a protective layer laminated on the thermochromic film, the protective layer made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate.
2 . The solar control system of claim 1 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorbing adhesive between the protective layer and the thermochromic film.
3 . The solar control system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more sacrificial layers laminated on the protective layer, the one or more sacrificial layers made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate.
4 . The solar control system of claim 3 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorbing adhesive between the one or more sacrificial layers and the protective layer.
5 . The solar control system of claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more sacrificial layers includes a tab for peeling off the sacrificial layer.
6 . The solar control system of claim 1 , further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on an opposite side of the substrate as the thermochromic film.
7 . A solar control system for a vehicle window, the solar control system comprising:
a substrate made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate;
a thermochromic core disposed on the substrate, the thermochromic core comprising a first dielectric layer formed on the substrate and a first thermochromic film formed on the first dielectric layer, the first thermochromic film including vanadium dioxide nanocrystals; and
a protective layer laminated on the thermochromic core, the protective layer made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate.
8 . The solar control system of claim 7 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorbing adhesive between the protective layer and the thermochromic core.
9 . The solar control system of claim 7 , wherein the thermochromic core further comprises a second dielectric layer formed on the first thermochromic film.
10 . The solar control system of claim 9 , wherein the thermochromic core further comprises a second thermochromic film formed on the second dielectric layer, the second thermochromic film including vanadium dioxide nanocrystals.
11 . The solar control system of claim 10 , wherein the thermochromic core further comprises a third dielectric layer formed on the second thermochromic film.
12 . The solar control system of claim 7 further comprising:
one or more sacrificial layers laminated on the protective layer, the one or more sacrificial layers made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate.
13 . The solar control system of claim 12 , further comprising an ultraviolet light absorbing adhesive between the one or more sacrificial layers and the protective layer.
14 . The solar control system of claim 12 , wherein each of the one or more sacrificial layers includes a tab for peeling off the sacrificial layer.
15 . The solar control system of claim 7 , further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed on an opposite side of the substrate as the thermochromic core.
16 . A solar control method for a vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a substrate made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate;
forming a first dielectric layer on the substrate;
forming a first thermochromic film on the first dielectric layer, the first thermochromic film including vanadium dioxide nanocrystals; and
laminating a protective layer on a thermochromic core comprising the first dielectric layer and the first thermochromic film, the protective layer made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate.
17 . The solar control method of claim 16 , further comprising rolling the substrate into a roll between said forming the first dielectric layer and said forming the first thermochromic film.
18 . The solar control method of claim 16 , further comprising disposing a pressure sensitive adhesive on an opposite side of the substrate as the thermochromic core.
19 . The solar control method of claim 18 , further comprising:
wetting down a surface of a vehicle window;
laying the substrate on the surface of the vehicle window with the side having the pressure sensitive adhesive against the surface of the vehicle window; and
pressing the substrate against the surface of the vehicle window.
20 . The solar control method of claim 19 , further comprising:
laminating one or more sacrificial layers on the protective layer, the one or more sacrificial layers made of biaxially-oriented polyethelene terephthalate; and
peeling off an outermost sacrificial layer of the one or more sacrificial layers after said pressing.