| | | Note the last paragraph since this article is dated April 15, 2025. I have posted an excerpt from it.
Suspended particles (SP) glazing ( Fig. 7c) comprises two glass panels within which is a thin layer of SP immersed in an organic fluid and located between two clear thin plastic films that act as electrical conductors [ 100]. Particles with optical properties dependent on polarization, such as polyhalite particles [ 20], are initially randomly oriented in the absence of electric power (AC voltage), presenting an opaque appearance that significantly reduces daylight through absorption. When electric power is applied, the SP align with the electric field, giving a clear appearance to the glazing and, consequently, making it possible to increase daylight transmission through the glass. Therefore, the transparency level of SP can modulate the transmittance of daylight and solar heat gains through the SP glazing. A typical SP glazing presents a visible transmittance and solar heat gain coefficient varying between 0.5 % (clear) to 65 % (opaque) and 0.06 (clear) to 0.57 (opaque), respectively [ 101]. Extremely quick transition times of 1 to 3 s, needing about 100 V AC, characterize SP glazing [ 20].
SP glazing, when compared to EC glazing, allows continuous control rather than a discrete one, meaning that the transmittance of the SP glazing can be tuned at multiple levels in function of the AC voltage applied. As a drawback, SP glazing requires an ongoing voltage supply to maintain the clear state, which usually translates in a higher energy consumption to control the glazing than EC.Research and development in SP glazing technology are ongoing, with widespread commercial adoption and real-world applications currently limited since few companies are exploring its potential. Gauzy SP glazing [ 102] has been recently launched onto the market. |
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