Development of New technology：Switchable Mirror Sheet Using Gasochromic Method

Kazuki Yoshimura, Energy Control Thin Film Group, the Materials Research Institute for Sustainable Development of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, has developed a switchable mirror that uses a new switching method.

Space-Time Physics - Particles, fields & forces derived from 4 dimensional space-Switchable mirrors can be switched between a transparent state and a mirror state. Their use can yield energy-saving window glass that substantially reduces cooling loads by effectively blocking sunlight. The developed switchable mirror sheet uses new gasochromic switching that is completely different from conventional gasochromic switching methods. It can control the reflection of visible to near-infrared light at a switching speed about 20 times faster than that of conventional electrochromic switchable glass. The present development can solve the issues involved in bringing gasochromic switchable mirrors into practical use. Because the thickness of the thin film that controls light is about 1/10 that of conventional films, substantial reduction in production cost is expected. Details of this technology were exhibited and presented at Nano tech 2013, the 12th International Nanotechnology Exhibition and Conference, held from January 30 to February 1 at Tokyo Big Site in Koto-ku, Tokyo. Air conditioning accounts for about 30% of energy consumption at home and at work. A window is a building component that significantly affects energy consumption. Normal window glass transmits visible light as well as heat and reduces the effectiveness of insulation. Increasing the insulation value of windows is very effective in saving energy, and double-pane glass and low-e (low-emissivity) glass with high insulation values are becoming widely used. Switchable glass can control incoming and outgoing light and heat to increase energy-saving effects by insulating heat and blocking sunlight. Electrically controllable electrochromic glass is a typical type of switchable glass. Recently, in the United States, electrochromic glass with a tungsten oxide thin film as the switchable layer has been commercialized for building applications. However, inexpensive switchable glass is required to promote the widespread use.

Glass Inspection Systems - Industry proven solutions to reduce costs in flat glass manufacturing. All conventional electrochromic glass absorbs light to control light and therefore has a drawback; the temperature of the thin film rises and the film re-radiate heat into the room. If light could be controlled by reflection, then sunlight could be blocked more efficiently. Therefore switchable mirrors that can be switched between the transparent state and the mirror state are awaited. Since 2001, AIST has been conducting research and development of thin-film materials for switchable mirrors. It has installed actual-size window glass in a real building and has demonstrated that the glass can reduce the cooling load by more than 30% compared with conventional transparent double-pane window glass.

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