Dynamic shade with reactive gas compatible desiccant, and/or associated methods
Certain example embodiments relate to electric, potentially-driven shades usable with insulating glass (IG) units, IG units including such shades, and/or associated methods. In such a unit, a dynamic shade is located between the substrates defining the IG unit, and is movable between retracted and extended positions. The dynamic shade includes on-glass layers including a transparent conductor and an insulator or dielectric film, as well as a shutter. The shutter includes a resilient polymer-based layer and layers on opposing surfaces thereof. A first voltage is applied to the transparent conductors to cause the shutter to extend to a closed position.
1 . 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 gas selected from the group consisting of SF 6 , CO 2 , and combinations thereof;
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 molecular sieve replacement material and lacks a molecular sieve, the molecular sieve replacement material including a salt, the salt comprising MgCl 2 , and the desiccant material being compatible with the gas such that the desiccant material fails to trap an appreciable number of molecules of the gas.
2 . The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant material comprises a desiccant matrix.
3 . The IG unit of claim 2 , wherein the desiccant matrix is polymer-based.
4 . The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the salt further comprises CaCl 2 .
5 . The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the gas is CO 2 gas.
6 . The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant material formed for adsorption at a relative humidity of 10-20%.
7 . The IG unit of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant material is located in a body of the spacer system.
8 . 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 gas selected from the group consisting of SF 6 , CO 2 , and combinations thereof,
wherein a desiccant material is located in a body of the spacer system, the desiccant material comprising a molecular sieve replacement material and lacks a molecular sieve, the molecular sieve replacement material including a salt, the salt comprising MgCl 2 , and the desiccant material being compatible with the gas such that the desiccant material fails to trap an appreciable number of molecules of the gas.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the desiccant material comprises a desiccant matrix.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the salt further comprises CaCl 2 .
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the gas is CO 2 gas.
12 . A method of operating a dynamic shade in an insulating glass (IG) unit, the method comprising:
having the IG unit of claim 1 ; and
activating the power source to move the polymer substrate from the shutter open position to the closed position.