7 proven methods to protect electric tinting glass: (Smart Glass Guide 2021)

What is smart glass: principle of operation, application?

The ability from transparent to instantly become opaque, high levels of noise and heat insulation made electric tinting glass. It is a hit in modern interior and exterior design of office and residential buildings. Moreover, the possibilities of using the technology are very wide.

How manufacturers make electric tinting glass?

Smart glass is a complex design. It has three layers.

• The first is a transparent glass sheet.
• The second is a double special film: liquid crystals are located between its layers.
• The third is a second glass canvas, the same as the first.

As a result, smart glass gains the ability to change the level of haze; the degree of absorption of heat rays; light transmission indicators.

How does electric tinting glass work?

The unique abilities of electric tinting glass are in the special structure of this material. Under the influence of an electric current, the order of arrangement of liquid crystals changes – the properties of glass also change. Therefore, depending on whether smart glass is exposed to electricity or not, it looks transparent or matte.

When the power turns off, liquid crystals collect in droplets in a chaotic manner. When passing through the material, co-directed light rays scatter. So, light does not pass through glass. Hence, it becomes opaque.

As soon as electricity flows to the smart glass, transparent electrodes form an electromagnetic field. This forces the crystals to line up parallel to one another. Similarly, light can pass between them without encountering obstacles – the glass becomes transparent.

The role of special dimmer in tinting glass

A special device (dimmer) makes it possible to decrease or increase the strength of the electric current supplied to the smart glass. If a low voltage is present, only part of the liquid crystals “build” into the parallel lines. As a result, the material becomes slightly transparent. The higher the voltage, the higher the transparency of the smart glass.

Technical features

When purchasing smart glass, you should familiarize yourself with the features of its operation.

• 7 W of electricity consumes per square meter of glass.
• The voltage in the electrical network to which the electric tinting glass must be 1100 volts. The type of current is alternating.
• The transition time of glass from opaque to transparent is a maximum of one second.
• Smart glass temperature should not be lower not lower than -25 ⁰ С and not higher than +60 ⁰ С.
• In an opaque state, glass transmits approximately 80% of the light rays.
• When the glass turns on, the transparency does not exceed 80%.
• The number of on and off cycles is over thirty million.
• Thickness – from 8 millimeters, dimensions without seams – 2×3 meters.

Where we use electric tinting glass?

The technology is successfully common in the decoration of buildings for a wide variety of purposes. Hence, In office premises, in restaurants, cafes, shops, in private apartments and houses, such a solution helps to create a comfortable atmosphere for a person and to implement interesting design ideas.

Indoors, using smart glass, you can create isolated areas. By changing the degree of transparency of the glass walls, you can make parts of the rooms more or less private, if desired, completely hiding them from outside views. However, this technique is sometimes common for bathroom fences in modern apartments.

Decorating the winter garden with smart glasses allows you to change the degree of illumination of the plants.

Why electric tinting glass is an ideal solution?

Smart glass skylights are the optimal solution for providing good illumination of large rooms, while protecting from the bright sun if necessary.

Electric tinting glass successfully functions as a blind or curtain. There is no need to additionally equip window openings with curtains or other curtains to protect the rooms from sunlight. It is enough just to install glasses that change the degree of transparency.

Interior and entrance doors made of such material become universal, depending on the needs of the owner, opening the space of the room to external views or hiding it.

Windows with smart glass in private houses or apartments can not only let in light and allow you to admire the surrounding landscape, but also protect people in the room from the scorching sun and unnecessary glances.

In smart stores, glass helps to create spectacular display cases and advertising screens.

• Smart tinted glass with adjustable dimming comes in handy in taxi cars. Car windows, which can become translucent and opaque. Moreover, it helps preserve the privacy of passengers.
• Variable transparency of glass is useful in the construction of shower stalls. Furthermore, you can instantly make their walls opaque.
• Offices, using this material, you can make partitions, the transparency of which can be changed, creating visually open or isolated zones.
• In banks, such glass is often common to decorate and delimit rooms for servicing VIP clients.
• In pools, such designs make it possible to hide the swimmers from prying eyes or, conversely, allow them to admire the surrounding nature.
• The advertising industry, electric tinting glass is useful to create media facades.
• Smart glasses can be ideal for rear projection screens. If you project an image onto a glass panel, a high quality image will appear on its back.

Additional features of smart tinting glass

Booking technology helps to make it not only “smart”, but also very durable. A protective film glues to the surface. This increases the level of safety of the structure: you can safely use it wherever children are.

It is possible to manufacture colored “smart” glasses. For this, a special film can be glued to the surface.

We can decorate the glass can with sandblasting. Such solutions look interesting in interior partitions, decoration of restaurants, shop windows.

Advanced equipment allows you to give the glass any configuration, cut holes.

Glass and all glass products are very fragile. Scratches and chips on transparent glass can ruin the overall look of the entire room. Care should be taken to prevent scratches and cracks. But if they appear, you can try to eliminate them on your own.

Reasons for the appearance of chips and scratches on the electric tinting glass

Electric tinting glass requires careful and careful maintenance. Here are just a few reasons for scratches:

• improper care, use when washing rags with hard and coarse fibers, accidental blows with a hard object;
• washing windows using abrasive powder products;
• the influence of critical temperatures;
• careless handling during repair;
• rubbing the glass with newsprint.

Ways to eliminate minor scratches from electric tinting glass

In the fight against small scratches and cracks, you can use the following methods:

1. Colorless nail polish.

First, you should prepare the surface of the glass; it is thoroughly and carefully washed and dried. Then the scratch and the area adjacent to it are treated with an alcohol cleaner or with the addition of ammonia for degreasing.

After drying, a colorless varnish is applied to a scratch or chip and allowed to dry completely. With a cotton swab moistened with nail polish remover, carefully remove all excess varnish on the glass surface and polish the surface with a soft cloth.

2. Polishing agent for metal surfaces

This method is somewhat more expensive, but much easier to perform. A small amount of the product should be applied to a soft cloth and polished the scratch area on the glass. After a few wipes, the scratch will not be visible.

3. Toothpaste.

To remove a scratch, take a simple white paste without any additives and effects, the gel is not suitable for this purpose. The paste, the size of a pea, applies to a soft cloth and rubbed into the scratch with gentle circular motions.

Thus, we can treat the scratched area of electric tinting glass several times, removing the remaining paste with a soft napkin after each procedure. The scratch disappears without a trace.

Toothpaste – it is perfect in cases where the scratch can be seen in the sun, but it cannot be felt with a fingernail. At least it’s much more decent than a gel. It is important that the entire surface is completely cleaned. Moreover, a lint-free fabric is preferable. It is necessary to smear along the entire length of the scratch, and then wipe off what remains.

If the nail gets caught in the groove, you can try toothpaste with dry mustard and vinegar added to it. Polish with a clean cloth. If damage is still noticeable, more professional methods are desirable.

4. Liquid polish for electric tinting glass or furniture polish.

The surface treatment method is slightly different from the previous one. The polish is applied directly to the crack and to a piece of fabric. And all glass is carefully polished.