Boosted photochromic response

Sunphade has in this project made its glass coating applicable to a wider set of window products. The goal was to commercialise the technology enabling windows to switch from a transparent state to a dark state just by the reacting to the intensity of the light from the sun. Sunphade's technology is still in an early phase and adaptation of the glass coating technology to the needs of the large glass and window manufacturers is important to develop partnerships going forward. The films Sunphade produce have a yellow tint which needs to be reduced in order to make the technology attractive to a larger market. The tint is now reduced. This was one of the goals in the project. The film is currently placed on one of the inside surfaces of an insulated glass pane and the switching time is currently to slow, but the speed has been increased though the project. Increasing this the manufacturing of the window will become simpler, which is an important aspect for introducing new technology into window manufacturing.

The outcome for Sunphade has be increased competency and the possibility to use this momentum placing products for window glass in the market. The TRL level will be increased further through a close cooperation with the glass producers as well as window film producers. IFE has been abe to strenghten its position as the leader in photochromic research. For more than11 years IFE has been working on smart windows and materials development for smart windows as well as ab initio modelling. The value creation for Sunphade given the product improvement is high and has the potential to impact the window industry as a whole. The window industry will soon have solar control products for the mass market, that are commercial attractive, meet the demands from the market drivers and reduce energy consumption in buildings. Sunphade will become one important technology for CO2 emission reduction.

Sunphade is improving the comfort of offices by letting the right amount of sun into the office space without compromising the outdoor view. Sunphade is a photochromic film switching from clear to dark depending on the amount of sun. Sunphade removes glare, reduce the need for blinds and energy demand for cooling. This is a win-win for employees, employers, office owners and the environment all over the world. Sunphade is applied to glass with industrial sputtering, a well-know industrial coating process for both metals and other inorganic compounds. Sputtering equipment is present at most production lines for glass and has been used industrially for decades. The Sunphade technology will therefore due to its low material input and high output, reach a competitive price level. Sunphade is now preparing the first generation of its photochromic film for glass for the first potential industrial partners. The film is applied onto glass and placed within the space of an isolation glass unit (IGU). The Sunphade film is currently a niche product due to the switching time from dark to clear state. Additionally it is inherently yellow, a property we want to reduce in order to make it more attractive to a lager market. The next version of Sunphade will solve these issues. When solved, Sunphade will have a massive market impact due to the fact that it can be implemented in any standard IGU production line without modifications and at a low material cost. This application is therefor about making to the next version of Sunphade with boosted photochromic response on isolation glass units.