Electric tinting of home windows, office interiors and car windows

About five years ago I heard about electric tinting of car windows. During the day, the car is tinted, and at night or, if necessary, at the push of a button, the tint disappears and the windows acquire factory transparency. The cost at that time of such a service, together with the installation, was 50-70 thousand rub. For drivers with a thick wallet. Now the cost is even higher - on average 120 thous. rub. for the electrical tinting of the two front side windows. Although, one of the main companies in this market has quite a few clients. Over the years - 3,500 cars toned using this technology. There are both positive and negative reviews.

Judging by the descriptions of the technology, the secret lies in the organic polymer, which is located between two glasses, additionally armored with a film. In the absence of voltage on the contacts connected to the polymer, it is transparent (and the glass is also triplex). When voltage is applied, a dark tint appears. And it can be adjusted from 3% to 70% transparency. You can watch the process in the video:

In addition to cost, there are a number of restrictions. You will have to replace the glasses in a car service with new ones made by the company. Such glasses must not be used without protection with an armored film (UV protection) and continuously for more than 3 hours. The process of toning up to 70% shading occurs within 1 minute. And for the same time the glass becomes transparent. The armored film is scratched on car windows.

A comparison of electrical tinting technologies can be viewed at this link: https://on-glass.ru/uploads/posts/2018-03/1521128918_info.jpg

Personally, I have no desire to tint the front windows of a car with either simple or this expensive technology. Moreover, when the voltage is on (in a tinted state), you are violating the rules of traffic rules P 7.3 in accordance with GOST 5727-88. But those who want to hide in the car from prying eyes are always found. The information is given only as an example of technology and does not call for anything.

This electrochromic glass tinting technology is used both in construction and interior design. But based on a slightly different principle - it is not a polymer that tints, but liquid crystals. The glass becomes opaque rather than dark.

The technology is called PDLC or smart film. Liquid crystals between two films. When the power is off, it is matte. Voltage must be applied to maintain transparency.

This tinting technology is used in office interiors:

Shown here are the office space and the film itself in rolls. Convenient during meetings, negotiations, meetings. Turned off the power - and the glass was tinted. Turned on - the manager can see the entire room with employees.

In a private house, this technology can be applied in panoramic windows, in windows in bathrooms. Or when a bright sun appears, through a signal from a photosensor, the power is turned off and the windows on the sunny side become dull, not allowing direct sunlight to pass through.

In the bathrooms, there is also tinting of shower cubicles. Example of mounting a smart film: https://youtu.be/d3_rsGhitaQ

Smart film is glued to a regular glass unit and power is supplied. Energy consumption of matting film - from 5 W / m2 (to maintain light transmission). The size of the film can be ordered from the manufacturer in different ways. There are already quite a few companies who can establish this for you. Search for: PDLC film.

Well, and the most interesting - what is the cost? In Russian companies, prices start at $ 18,000. rub / m2. Looking at aliexpress, I saw the following offers:

For a 15x15 cm cell with battery power - 1373 RUBLink

And for a canvas 1x1.2 m - already 28,623 rubles. plus roll shipping RUB 4770

Prices from Chinese manufacturers in the wholesale segment are much lower: from 4500 rubles / m2 when ordering from 100 m2. Or 6800 rubles. - for orders up to 10 m2. Link

The price is still cosmic. But technology is evolving. 50 years ago, both conventional tinting film and LEDs were fantastic. Perhaps, in a few years the cost price will decrease and these tinting films will become one of the elements of the smart home system.

I think these are products that can be produced by Rusnano or Skolkovo, and not by all sorts of dubious startups... If we take into account the rate of the yuan to the ruble 1:11, then such a tinting film may have a cost in production in Russia - from 450 RUB / m2. And this is already an interesting price for the average buyer. And huge competitiveness in the foreign market.

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