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| Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section. Here you will find a wide range of helpful information. For your convenience, the FAQ section is organized into five different categories. Select a category listed at the left to take you to questions and answers related to that category. |
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| Characteristics of SPD-Smart Products |
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| How do SPD-Smart end-products affect the transmission of visible light? |
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| SPD-Smart end-products allow users to control the amount of light, glare and heat passing through windows and other products. Visible light accounts for approximately 50% of solar energy – energy that can be regulated using SPD technology. SPD-Smart products also reduce the need for artificial interior lighting while introducing more natural light into a building or vehicle’s interior. Natural daylighting is shown to improve health and well-being, and thus its regulation is considered by many to have a strong influence on one’s attitude, health and productivity. |
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| What is the amount of time needed for an SPD-Smart product to change tint? |
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| A complete tint change of SPD film takes just several seconds regardless of the size of the product (e.g. a small car window or a large commercial window) in which it is used. In addition, switching speed is consistent regardless of panel size. This is a particularly important aesthetic and functional benefit when a series of panels of different sizes are needed and consistent switching speed is required for all panels. |
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| How much light can SPD-Smart products block? |
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| SPD film can be produced so that the dark state is virtually opaque. This is ideal for applications requiring privacy (e.g. bathrooms and conference rooms), or for room darkening purposes (e.g. home theaters). SPD film also can be produced so that the dark state is somewhat light-transmissive (for applications such as eyewear). |
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| Is the light transmission of SPD-Smart products continuously changeable? |
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| Yes. One major advantage of SPD technology is that you can change or "tune" light transmission instantly to meet your specific needs or preferences. Further, sensing devices can be used to constantly adjust light transmission levels, thus providing instantaneous tuning to optimize performance. |
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| How do SPD-Smart products affect the transmission of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) light? |
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| Ultraviolet light is a small percentage of all solar energy but it can be very harmful to people and objects. SPD-Smart products block more than 99% of UV light, protecting one's skin and valuable interior furnishings such as carpets, linens, and artwork. When used in combination with other coatings, SPD-Smart end-products significantly reduce the transmission of IR light, a type of solar energy that causes heat. |
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| What is the durability of SPD film? |
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| Based on testing by Research Frontiers, SPD film performs well even after years of continuous on/off cycling (millions of switching cycles). In addition, SPD film performance generally is not adversely affected by power surges (i.e. voltage “spikes”) or other significant electrical impacts. This major performance advantage is in contrast to electrochromic products that can be adversely affected or even rendered inoperable by minor electrical surges. |
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| What kinds of weight considerations are posed by the use of SPD-Smart products? |
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| The incremental weight of SPD film is very small. Film thickness tends to range from just 13 to 17 mils. The SPD film is then laminated to glass or lightweight plastic substrates. The only other nominal weight gain is for the small gauge wiring and switches needed to operate SPD-Smart end-products. In some cases such as window applications, the minimal incremental weight of the film, wiring and switches likely will be more than offset by the weight reduction when blinds, shades or curtains are eliminated. |
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| Approximately how much power is needed to operate an SPD-Smart product? |
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| SPD-Smart products are extremely energy efficient. At line voltage, SPD film typically uses a maximum of approximately 0.06 watts of power per square foot (0.65 watts/m2). No power is used when the film is in its dark state. When operating at light transmission levels in between the clear and dark states, power requirements are correspondingly lower than the maximum. Exact power consumption depends in part upon the thickness of the SPD film used for a specific end-product application and other factors.
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| What is the operating temperature range of SPD film? |
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| SPD film has been shown to work at temperatures from -40C to +100C (-40F to +212F). At temperatures below -40C, the switching speed may slow somewhat. However, even at such an unusually cold temperature, the switching speed of the film remains significantly faster than that of a product using electrochromic technology. |
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| What is the color of SPD film? |
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| The light-absorbing particles used in SPD film block all areas of the visible spectrum. The particles do allow a very small amount of blue light through. Thus, when in the "off" (dark) state, SPD-Smart products have an aesthetically appealing dark blue hue. Other colors are easily possible using colored interlayers or glass. In addition, SPD film is essentially color neutral, an important feature that lets users view all colors through SPD windows and other products without distortion or color shifting. |
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| What is the largest possible size of a product using SPD technology? |
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| The only limiting factor to the size of an SPD-Smart product is the width of the coating web equipment used to make SPD film. These machines typically have up to 5-foot wide (1.5 meters) capabilities. To accommodate larger width needs, separate pieces of SPD film can be laminated adjacently to one another. The length of the film is not limited when a roll-to-roll coating system is used. Unlike electrochromic light-control products that exhibit significant performance degradation as the size of a medium (a window, for example) increases, the response time of SPD film is not affected by size. |
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| What are the properties of SPD film in terms of the risk of toxicity, fire or explosion? |
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| The material inputs used to produce SPD film are not hazardous nor are they flammable. In fact, SPD film has successfully passed stringent FAA flammability tests for use in aircraft. |
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