TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE

INTRODUCTION
How does Smart glass film work?
CASE STUDY

What Is Smart Glass?

How Smart Glass Works

How PDLC Technology Works

What is a Liquid Crystal?

Why are liquid crystals sometimes dispersed in a

polymer?
Why is PDLC considered to be ‘smart’?

How does PDLC smart glass work?

Does PDLC smart glass become ‘opaque’?

What are the applications for PDLC smart glass?

Why does PDLC glass scatter light?

Does PDLC smart glass ‘conduct’ electricity

How much light does PDLC glass transmit

Are PDLCs only available as artificial materials?

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What are the major reasons for using PDLC smart
glass?
Which sectors are using PDLC glass?

What form factors are PDLC glass available in?

Can the PDLC glass be dimmed?

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

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Electrically switchable glass partitions and walls add adaptability
and give a “WOW” effect to interior office designs. Switchable glass
with PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology can
easily transform a space from open and shared, to private and
intimate, and anywhere in between with dimming features.

This is especially helpful in agile work environments based on

flexible open floor plans, providing an ideal solution to maintain
privacy while maximizing the space of a modern office

Electrically switchable glass partitions and walls add adaptability

and give a “WOW” effect to interior office designs. Switchable glass
with PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) technology can
easily transform a space from open and shared, to private and
intimate, and anywhere in between with dimming features.

This is especially helpful in agile work environments based on

flexible open floor plans, providing an ideal solution to maintain
privacy while maximizing the space of a modern office

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PDLC is an active smart glass technology meaning it needs electricity to
turn on and off. When a low voltage is applied (the ON state), the
molecules align into a formed manner, allowing light to pass straight
through, and making the glass transparent. As electricity is turned off, the
LC molecules scatter randomly again, breaking the passage of light and
turning the glass opaque.

Though PDLC controls the way light passes through the glass, it doesn’t
affect visible light transmission, as opposed to Suspended Particle Device
(SPD) technology. Thus, the space will not be shaded or dimmed, but
whatever or whomever is behind the glass will simply not be seen, hence
the name: privacy glass.
In this way, PDLC glass has a clear advantage – providing privacy while
allowing the passage of natural light at the same time.

A Smart glass film, also called Switchable PDLC film, is a product

that is capable of adjusting light transmission between transparent
and opaque using AC power. In other words, it is a film that stays
translucent in its natural state and switches to transparent in the
presence of an electric signal.

How does Smart glass film work?

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First of all, let us familiarize ourselves with the components of the
smart glass film.
A smart glass film is composed of two elements.

The ITO (Indium Tin Oxide): is a transparent electrical conducting

ternary compound. It is composed of Indium, tin and oxygen mixed
in varying proportions. The two main properties of Indium Tin Oxide
which are: its electrical conductivity and optical transparency, as
well as the ease with which it can be deposited as a thin film makes
it a suitable compound for the production of smart films. The ITO
film's primary function is to conduct electric current to the PDLC
film.

The PDLC film: PDLC means Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal's. A

PDLC film is made up of liquid crystal molecules (microdroplets).
These liquid crystal molecules have electrical conducting properties
incorporated in them at a nanoscale which allows the crystal to be
controlled by an electric volt.

The liquid crystals are then dispersed in a polymer substance which

has tiny holes that are filled by the liquid crystals.

When electricity is applied to the liquid crystals through the ITO,

they scatter or become aligned within the polymer layer. The
movement of these liquid crystals within the polymer layer is what
produces the opaque and transparent effect of the smart glass film.

Now that you know the two primary components of the smart film.
Your next question I believe would be; How do they work?

Simple!
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The PDLC film, in its natural state, appears opaque due to the
random orientations of the liquid crystals in the polymer. Once a
controlling device sends an electrical signal which is widely
conducted by the ITO film, the scattered liquid crystals in the
polymer align, allowing light to be absorbed, and the film becomes
transparent.

CASE STUDY

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 What Is Smart Glass?

Smart glass is dynamic, allowing a traditionally static material to

become alive and multifunctional. This technology allows for the
control of various forms of light including visible light, UV, and IR.

Smart privacy glass products are based on technologies that allow

transparent materials (like glass or polycarbonate) to switch, on
demand, from clear to shaded or completely opaque.

The smart switchable glass technology can be integrated into

windows, partitions and other transparent surfaces in various
sectors, including architecture, interior design, automotive, smart
retail windows, and consumer electronics.

There are two primary types of smart glass: active and passive.

These are defined by whether their changeability requires an

electrical charge. If so, it’s categorized as active. If not, it’s
categorized as passive.

The term smart glass mainly refers to active technologies in which

privacy glass films and coatings, activated by an electrical charge,
change the appearance and functionality of the glass.

Types of active switchable glass technologies and their common

applications:

Eg: Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC) glass, e.g.: typically

seen in privacy partitions in various industries
• Suspended Particle Device (SPD) glass, e.g.: windows that tint to
shade as seen in automotive and buildings
• Electrochromic (EC) glass, e.g.: coated windows that slowly tint for
shading
The following are the two passive smart glass technologies and
common applications for each:

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• Photochromic glass, eg: eyeglasses with coatings that
automatically tint in sunlight.
• Thermochromic glass, eg: coated windows that change in
response to temperature.

How Smart Glass Works

Active smart glass technology allows for the control of various forms of
light (visible, IR, UV) with electricity. With electricity, glass is switched
from opaque to transparent, allowing for dynamic light control.

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PDLC and SPD smart glass technology is an active glass technology
that switches states with electricity.

The unique particles or molecules inside our films scatter or align as

films are turned on and off, allowing light to pass through for opacity or
transparency, and the switchable control of various forms of light
(visible, IR, UV).

Active smart glass is based on PDLC, SPD, and electrochromic

technologies. It automatically operates with controllers or
transformers with scheduling or manually.

Unlike transformers, which can only change glass from clear to

opaque, controllers can also use dimmers to gradually change
voltage and control light to various degrees.

Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC)

The technology behind PDLC films used to create smart glass

contain liquid crystals, a material that shares characteristics of both
liquid and solid compounds, which are dispersed into a polymer.

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Switchable smart glass with PDLC is one of the most commonly
used technologies. While this type of film is generally used for
indoor applications, PDLC can be optimized to maintain its
properties in outdoor conditions. PDLC is available in colours and
patterns. It is generally available in both laminated (for newly
fabricated glass) and retrofit (for existing glass) applications.

PDLC switches glass from dimmable degrees of opaque to clear in

milliseconds. When opaque, PDLC is ideal for privacy, projection,
and whiteboard use. PDLC usually blocks visible light. However,
solar reflective products, such as the one developed by the material
science company Gauzy, allows for IR light (which creates heat) to
be reflected when the film is opaque.

Suspended Particle Device (SPD)

SPD contains miniscule solid particles which are suspended in

liquid and coated between two thin layers of PET-ITO to create a
film. It shades and cools interiors, blocking up to 99% of incoming
natural or artificial light within seconds of shifting voltage.

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Like PDLC, SPD can be dimmed, allowing for a customized shading
experience. Unlike PDLC, SPD does not turn completely opaque,
and therefore, is not suited for privacy, nor is it optimized for
projection.

SPD is ideal for exterior, sky or water facing windows and can be
used in indoor applications as well, where darkness is required.
SPD is manufactured by only two companies in the world.

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PDLC stands for ‘Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystals’ which can
be applied as a self-adhesive plastic film onto existing glass, or
engineered into glass end-products such as smart (switchable)
windows, smart displays, and consumer electronics, giving
privacy, security, and energy efficiency.

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 What is a Liquid Crystal?

A ‘liquid crystal’ is a thermodynamically stable ‘mesophase’ of

matter which resides in between the solid phase and the liquid
phase.

Liquid crystals were first discovered in 1888 by Friedrich Reinitzer

(1857-1927), an Austrian botanist, who was studying cholesterol in
plants. He observed that the material known as cholesteryl
benzoate had two melting points, with the first resulting in an initial
‘cloudy liquid state’ and the second giving a ‘clear state’. The cloudy
liquid state is what we now refer to as a liquid crystal.

Whereas solids are highly ordered, and liquids (and gases) have no
such internal order, molecules of a liquid crystal lie somewhere in
between.

Liquid crystals contain rod or disc-shaped structures (called

‘mesogens’) which point along a common axis, called a ‘director’.
They are easily polarisable (typically with an electric field).

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 Why are liquid crystals sometimes dispersed in a
polymer?

The polymer allows the liquid crystals to be mixed and cured into a
film structure, which can then be sandwiched between panels of
glass or plastic.

The polymer has constant optical properties which do not vary

across its structure, and hence is considered ‘isotropic.’ In contrast,
the liquid crystal itself is ‘anisotropic,’ since its optical characteristics
are not constant across its structure, but rather can vary under
application of an electric field.

Why is PDLC considered to be ‘smart’?

The smartness of PDLC comes from its ability to refract light

randomly (i.e. to scatter light), or to transmit light, depending on the
electrical voltage applied to it.

This is normally an alternating voltage (typically 36-110 Vac), which

exerts an alternating electric field across the PDLC material. We
should remember that PDLC film or glass is only as smart as the
‘control system’ which drives it. This can be a simple push button
switch, a light sensor, or a digital building automation system.

How does PDLC smart glass work?

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With no applied voltage, the liquid crystals are randomly oriented
and scatter the light which enters. When a voltage is applied, the
liquid crystals orient themselves parallel to each other, allowing light
through.

Does PDLC smart glass become ‘opaque’?

No, the correct term is translucent, since light still gets through,
albeit scattered in many directions. The glass would be ‘opaque’
only if the light was blocked or absorbed. There are however some
PDLC products which mix dyes into the liquid crystals, thus giving a
(permanent) dark colouration, and this can result in some of the
light being blocked, giving an ‘opaque’ result.

What are the applications for PDLC smart glass?

PDLC smart glass can be found in commercial and residential

smart windows, consumer electronics and display cases for retail
and museums, as well as in healthcare, hospitality, and
transportation. Liquid crystals can also be found in high-resolution
displays for near-eye wearables and as medical & industrial
thermometers. See below for more examples.

Why does PDLC glass scatter light?

The liquid crystals change their refractive index in relation to the

isotopically 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.

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 What is the structure of PDLC glass?

(Images courtesy of SmartGlass International)

PDLC smart glass is composed of:-

 a PDLC core layer, typically 1.5mm thick, comprised of
liquid crystal droplets suspended in a polymer film,
sandwiched within:
 layers of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide), a transparent conductor,
sandwiched within:
 Inner panels of optically clear PET plastic (polyethylene
terephthalate), sandwiched within:
 outermost panels of float glass, which can be low-iron and
tempered (or alternatively acrylic).

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 Does PDLC smart glass ‘conduct’ electricity?

No, the internal PDLC layer is plastic and does not conduct
electricity, since it is electrically insulative.

Rather, it behaves as the internal dielectric layer of a capacitor,

where the applied AC signal on the plates of ‘the capacitor’ causes
an alternating electric field throughout the PDLC film. This is what
aligns the liquid crystals with the frequency of the signal (normally
50 Hz or 60 Hz).

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.

Are PDLCs only available as artificial materials?

Not at all; common examples of natural occurrences of liquid

crystals include proteins, soaps, detergents, and even some types
of clay.

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What are the major reasons for using PDLC smart glass?

 Reduction of the building-wide carbon footprint thanks to

dynamic solar control, which reduces the demands on
climate control systems all year round, thus contributing to
the goals of the European Climate Law
 Enhanced security (since the glass is shatter-proof thanks
to the internal plastic lamination)
 Privacy (thanks to the scattering of light, essentially hiding
whatever is behind the smart glass)
 Glare reduction (again thanks to the scattering effect)
 Reduced colour fading of interior furnishings and artworks,
thanks to the rejection of UV
 Creative marketing, since when the PDLC smart glass is off,
the scattering effect creates a screen upon which you can
project images.

Which sectors are using PDLC glass?

 Transportation
 Architectural (residential and commercial)
 Interior design
 Retail advertising
 Healthcare (since PDLC smart glass can replace unhygienic
curtains and blinds which often carry germs)
 Banking, thanks to the privacy afforded to ATMs and as
internal partitions
 Hospitality, especially bathrooms, since more natural light
can penetrate interior spaces lacking windows to the outside
world.

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 What form factors are PDLC glass available in?

 Switchable Toughened Glass

 Switchable Laminated Glass
 Switchable Double-Glazing
 Switchable Window Film

Can the PDLC glass be dimmed?

Yes, the glass can be dimmed by varying the applied voltage from
0% in the OFF state up to the maximum transmittance (typically
70% or 80%). This is achieved by altering the voltage with a
variable isolating transformer, or electronically with a switched-
mode smart glass dimmer.

Bibliography

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[Link]
film-and-how-does-it-work#:~:text=The%20PDLC%20film%3A
%20PDLC%20means,controlled%20by%20an%20electric%20volt.
[Link]
Wikipedia. Smart Film. (July 2016). Retrieved from
[Link]

Wikipedia. Indium Tin Oxide. (n.d.). Retrieved from

[Link]

Polymer-dispersed Liquid Crystal. (n.d.). Retrieved from

[Link]
liquid-crystal

Image - ITO is a clear, conductive liquid/film and here it was coating

on a flexible plastic (PET) sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved from
[Link]
JFJJ5P8

Image - Operation of a smart PDLC switchable film. CMMPE -

University of Cambridge. (n.d.). Retrieved from [Link]
[Link]/CMMPE/OldSite/res_mat_pdlc.html

[Link]

[Link]

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