Sun protection glass - applications, types and characteristics

Plastic bags are becoming more and more popular in homes. They serve as a sufficiently reliable protection against wind and cold, penetration of pollution and noise from the street.

A separate version is sun protection, which allows you to significantly reduce the percentage of ultraviolet rays entering the room. To protect your house from the excess sun in the summer - you need to know how the sun glass provides a similar effect.

The principle of operation of the sunscreen

The main purpose for which sunscreens are used is to reduce the flow of sunlight, which reduces the impact of excessive ultraviolet and indoor temperature. As a rule, such glasses are distinguished by a different color shade: grayish or greenish.

First of all, the absorption of solar radiation occurs due to the tinting layer. Typically, it is added either during the introduction of metal oxides into a viscous mass, or later, by applying a film or spraying onto the finished surface. Thanks to the tinted light-absorbent, there is a perceptible decrease in temperature: even in the presence of a single-pane insulating glass unit with sunscreen, the temperature drops by an average of 3-5 ° C.

Such double-glazed windows are made of reflector glass, which has a reflective effect, or from tempered by heat treatment.

Even with direct exposure of the sun to glass, do not be afraid of excessive overheating. Such a danger threatens those glasses that have an unnecessarily dark toning film.

According to the principle of operation, the glasses are divided into two groups:

• reflective,
• absorbing,

Reflective layer is applied during production by spraying, or at the time of installation or after, by gluing with a film that will provide good protection of the glasses from the sun.

The technology of production of absorbing glasses is more complicated. Getting to the surface, the light is scattered many times and is divided into spectra. The ultraviolet remains inside the glass unit, and the remaining light streams pass into the room.

Sunscreen technology

Two glass production methods are used:

• furry,
• float.

The technology of the Furio method involves rolling a glass mixture through rollers, after which the resulting sheets are transferred to the cooling chamber. This method has become morally obsolete, because unlike float technology it assumes a significant percentage of defects in the glass surface.

The Float method is more preferable in the manufacturing process because it has the following advantages:

• no need to modify the glass surface,
• a small percentage of finished products,
• high performance,
• optical defects on the glass surface are practically absent.

According to the float method of producing sunscreen, the molten mixture, having a tape shape, enters the tank with tin. Due to the fact that tin has a higher density, the glass does not mix with it, but is on the surface, cooled and leveled to a perfectly flat surface. Further, the glass cooled to 600 ° C enters a furnace in which a layer of metal dioxide is sprayed onto it. After that, the glass is gradually cooled and checked for defects. In case of their detection, when cutting such areas are cut and reused, in the next batch - due to which, the production of glass is a waste-free process.

Types and characteristics of sun protection glass

More recently, as sun glasses in the market, only tinted versions were represented. They are inexpensive, but have a significant drawback: the higher the stopping power, the darker the glass, and accordingly, the less light it passes. As a result, on a cloudy day or evening time, the illumination of the room will leave much to be desired. Exceptions are those types of glass, which have a greenish tinge.

From the advantages it is necessary to allocate indicators of throughput, which are 70% for sunlight and only 30% for infrared and ultraviolet flux.

But there are also disadvantages: the tinted windows are noticeably heated and are afraid of uneven cooling.

The second effective solution to the problem of transmitting solar radiation will be the use in a double-glazed window of colorless sunscreen, the coating of which allows you to reflect the ultraviolet. Such a method is based on the presence of particles of impurities of titanium oxide and chromium. The mixture covers the glass with the thinnest film, while the metal reflects the sunlight well and, most importantly, the excess UV rays "beat off," and the glasses themselves continue to let in the sunlight and do not heat up. The downside of the method is its cost.

A combined variety is gaining popularity, the distinctive feature of which is the appearance: a silvery mirror surface. The technological process for manufacturing such a coating does not have any significant differences: the workpiece is placed in an oven and at a temperature of 650 ° C, four layers of a coating of metal oxides are applied, then subjected to quenching. At the end, the glass is covered with a silver spray and allowed to cool.

This variety, in addition to the high reflectivity and absorption of ultraviolet, also has an excellent degree of thermal insulation, which is very important in the winter. A nice addition will be a beautiful aesthetic appearance and no need to purchase curtains or blinds - because the combined reflector glass looks like a mirror and does not allow you to see what is behind it. From its minuses it is important to note the laboriousness of the manufacturing process, as a result of which the final price for the glass unit is determined. More often, such glasses are used in buildings where visitors and working people are provided with invisibility. A good example is banks and office buildings, as well as bars and restaurants. Another advantage of choosing this kind of glass will be its resistance and strength to mechanical influences.

Less common is a special type of sunscreen - a photochromic glass, which was nicknamed "chameleon".They demonstrate an interesting ability to change the percentage of light and heat input into a room under the influence of sunlight. With an excess of ultraviolet light, such glasses darken, with cloudy weather on the contrary, the translucence of the surface comes to normal. Such a variety is obtained when silver and cesium are added to sodium-free-alumina glass. Of course, the final price of such double-glazed windows can upset an ordinary consumer, but for everyday needs there is an alternative - photochromic sunscreen film that is applied manually to any glass and found application for both buildings and car windows. And the price per meter of this film is rather modest - only $ 4, which allowed it to get widespread among motorists.

Application of sunscreen

First of all, glass is used for sun protection. Any kind of glass used can significantly reduce the effect of ultraviolet light on the situation behind the glass. For example, furniture and curtains can easily fade, being under the "sight" of the sun. Glass is suitable for any application: its varieties are installed in winter gardens and greenhouses to protect plants from excessive sunlight, high-rise multi-storey buildings, double-glazed windows of private houses and apartments. Moreover, any person at least once in his life wore sunglasses, whose glasses are covered with a toning film, or they have shading impurities in their composition - therefore, a favorable effect from the use of such glasses is noticeable to everyone.

Modern glass can shade natural light, but at the same time provide comfort in the following directions:

1. Room heat insulation. Many varieties of ready-made double-glazed windows and tinting films are present on the market, whose task is to protect the glasses from the sun, while the internal heat in the room is reflected from the glasses and lasts longer.
2. Due to sun protection properties, overall energy efficiency is increased. Correctly selected sun glass in the double-glazed window can reduce the cost of air conditioning and heating the interior space. The difference is significant in comparison with simple glass and double-glazed windows.
3. The hard coating applied is durable and has high mechanical strength.

Sunshield with your own hands

Sun glass with your own hands is especially true if the windows face south. Closely close curtains or blinds is not the only way out, when it is quite possible to produce an independent gluing of the sunscreen on the glass. There are several varieties of films that are optimally suited to this task:

• Standard tinted. Designed for simple protection from the sun. The room, in the presence of such a film on the window, does not so heat up and in addition, on the TV or computer screens there are no glare from the sun.
• Mirror film. It is an excellent solution for the case if the neighboring house is located in close proximity, and the desire to constantly keep the curtains drawn is not. Such a film on the glass from the sun will provide one-sided visibility, when outside it is impossible to view the room. It is important to remember that such an effect works in the daytime or when the degree of illumination from the outside is brighter than inside. When the light is on, the mirror effect disappears.

• Matte film. Used for those cases where it is necessary to limit the transparency of the glass. Typically, for internal glass partitions to reduce line of sight. At home, the film has found its application in door stained glass and glass partitions of showers in bathrooms.
• Protective film. Has a high resistance to mechanical damage. Its use is important in the children's room, as some varieties make it unbreakable, which is important if the child, due to careless actions, strikes the glass. Even in case of destruction, the glass covered with a protective film does not fall into fragments.

As the market has a large selection of films, and their price is available to any consumer, the conclusion is obvious: the sunscreen on the glass represents a tangible competition to the ready-made double-glazed windows, as it will not require special skills for gluing it. In the event that the decision to use it is final, it is worthwhile to prepare in advance the auxiliary tools:

• stationery knife,
• spatula for leveling. The spatula should be used rubber, since it is metal enough to easily damage the film, the
• atomizer with a prepared soap solution for final adjustment of the film position. Simple water in this case does not fit, because it does not have the proper effect on the adhesive composition.

The process of gluing must be divided into several stages for more convenience:

1. Preparation for work:

• on a flat surface rolls out roll and measures the required amount of film;
• with a stationery knife cut out the necessary size for the size, while it is important to leave around the perimeter of a stock of 1-2 centimeters, which will later be circumcised;
• the surface of the glass is cleaned of dirt and dust with cleaning agents on an alcohol-based substrate, then wiped dry with a newspaper. Newspaper paper is better suited for this job, rather than a rag, since it leaves no streaks on the glass.

2. When the preparatory work was done - it is worth to go to the main:

• the surface of the glass is abundantly wetted with a soap solution;
• the protective layer is removed from the film. It is recommended that you do this work with a helper in order to avoid any difficulties in gluing;
• with a soap solution, the adhesive layer of the film is wetted so that it does not begin to adherently adhere to the glass when it is stuck;
• , then the area of ​​the film is applied to the glass and gently leveled with hands and a rubber spatula. Also, a small tight roller is often used. It is always necessary to level out from the center to the edges to remove moisture from the edges of the film;
• the final stage of work is the careful removal of excess films with a clerical knife.

It often happens that the film as a result of damage or replacement will require removal, and in this case there will be difficulties. Some films are based on lavsan, which refers to chemically resistant materials, therefore, according to many experts, traces of the adhesive composition with great difficulty and not always completely, are removed even with the help of solvents and glass cleaners. In this case, do not despair, but it is better to pay attention to simple means. For example, it is enough to apply a fluoride-containing toothpaste on the sponge and wipe off the traces left after the film. Then the back side of the sponge, which has a rigid base, the glass is cleaned a second time and there is no residue. In addition, the most common wet wipes are also suitable for this task.