Volume 8, Issue 6, November/December 2004
NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
New Coating Reduces Heat Not Light
As reported in the Journal of Materials Chemistry, a team of chemists at University College London (UCL) have developed a window coating that, when applied to glass used in buildings or cars, reflects the sun’s heat while still letting in light.
While conventional tints block both heat and light, those who worked on it say the new coating allows visible wavelengths of light through at all times, but reflects the infrared light that causes heating when temperatures rise above 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Technological innovations such as intelligent window coating really open the door to more creative design,” said professor Ivan Parkin of UCL’s Department of Chemistry, senior author of the paper. “The current trend toward using glass extensively in building poses a dilemma for architects. Do they tint the glass, which reduces the benefit of natural light, or face hefty air conditioning bills?”
The new coating is made from a derivative of vanadium dioxide, which has long been recognized for its heat-reflective properties because of its ability to alternate between acting as a metal and a semiconductor. The difficulty in reducing the switching temperature had been a stumbling block up to this point.
“It’s not much good if the material starts to reflect infrared light at 160 degrees Fahrenheit,” said Parkin. “We’ve shown it’s possible to reduce the switching temperature to just above room temperature and manufacture it in a commercially viable way.”
Researchers are currently looking at such issues as cost to produce, durability and color as the next step in getting the coating to market.
Info+ www.ucl.ac.uk or call 44 (0) 20 7679 2000
A Little Harmony in the Industry
CPFilms, headquartered in Martinsville, Va., has introduced the Harmony series of low reflectivity window films, part of its Vista line: Vista UVShield V40 and V50 SR CDF.
The films are designed to reduce interior heat and glare while maintaining transparency on both sides of the glass. According to the company, the films reflect 9 percent of exterior and interior visible light when installed.
Info+ www.vista-films.com or call 800/345-6088
KristalBond Unveils Protective Glass Coating
KristalBond Technologies Sdn Bhd, headquartered in Shah Alam, Malaysia, has developed a protective glass coating that it believes could help commercial building owners save a lot in energy bills.
The liquid coating, called KristalBond, is said to prevent heat penetration by cutting more than 90 percent of ultra-violet and infrared rays while still allowing considerable light transmission.
According to a report in the Malaysia Star, KristalBond Technologies chief executive officer Joe Gan said the product bonds easily and was achieved through combining ultra-low temperature Sol-Gel technology and nano technology.
KristalBond also markets a popular car window tint under the brand KristalBond.
Film Technologies International is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., not Fort Lauderdale as previously reported in the last issue.
When Band-Aids® Aren’t Handy …
Sarasota, Fla.-based Biolife LLC has made its QR powder, used to quickly stop bleeding, available to the public over the counter. According to the company, the when the powder is applied to a wound and slight pressure is added, it creates a scab almost instantly to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
The company also states in a news release that QR powder is classified in the “safest” category (along with bandages and gauze) by the FDA and is available at retail locations such as Wal-Mart, CVS, Publix and Albertsons, among
Info+ www.biolife.com or call 941/360-1300
NRD’s New Website
NRD LLC has announced the completion of its website, www.nrdinc.com, featuring industrial static control devices, both electrical and alpha, as well as information on custom ionization sources and analytical devices and products.
Data sheets can be downloaded for all products and the website contains a section that answers frequently asked questions on static control.
Bekaert Films of Clearwater, Fla., has unveiled its newly
renovated website, www.Bekaert-Films.com. The site now includes animated graphics, product information, interactive roll-overs, installation examples and video clips.
Active since July, Bekaert redesigned the site with the intent of making it a more valuable to dealers and consumers.
“We’ve ensured by design that the new Bekaert-Films.com website contains all of the necessary content and functionality to best communicate the benefits of our products and programs to both consumers and dealers,” said Kym Singer, marketing communications manager.
Divided into five brand-specific areas, visitors can access
brand information through the products section of the home page or directly through the published product brand addresses SolarGard.com, ArmorcoatFilms.com, PanoramaFilm.com, Clearshield.com and ComputerCut.com.
“With any site, BekaertFilms.com is a constant work in progress. We will continue to make changes and add new areas, content and special features, such as the Dealer Events area, additional installation examples, more video clips and regionalized content and translations,” said Singer.
Lumetrics Inc., based in Rochester, N.Y., has introduced a gauging instrument that provides what the company calls the most advanced film thickness measurement available. The DI 330 OptiGauge™ Film Thickness Measurement System employs optical technology to measure absolute thickness with the accuracy of ± .1 micrometer (± .004 mil). The system has a measuring rate of 30 Hz.
Info+ www. lumetrics.net or call 585/214-2455
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