Can smart glass be used in outdoor applications?
Yes, smart glass can be installed in outdoor areas as normal laminated glass.
What is the structure of PDLC glass?
PDLC smart glass is composed of :
Outermost panels of normal float glass (or sometimes acrylic) sandwiched around:
Inner panels of optically clear PET plastic (polyethylene terephthalate), sandwiched around:
ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) which is a transparent conductor, sandwiched around:
a PDLC core comprised of liquid crystal droplets, suspended in a polymer.
Is smart glass/film a safety glass?
Yes, smart glass/film is a safety glass. Being laminated, it prevents scattering of glass fragments in case of breakage.
Why does PDLC glass scatter light?
The liquid crystals change their refractive index in relation to the isotropically transparent polymer in which they are immersed, thereby creating multiple step boundaries throughout the PDLC.
It is this change in refractive index at each boundary which causes light to change course. Since the PDLC material contains millions of liquid crystals, each with a boundary facing a slightly different way, the light is scattered in many directions.
The net effect is to hide whatever is behind the PDLC smart glass.
How much light does PDLC glass transmit?
When not connected to a voltage, typically the transmittance can be as low as 2%. When connected to a voltage, it can be up to 80%, but this maximum value varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.