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BS ONE

PDLC smart film

A smart window film that adjusts the transparency of glass electrically. It turns a single pane into a screen only when you need one.

01 Principle

A film that adjusts transparency electrically

PDLC (Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal) and PNLC (Polymer Network Liquid Crystal) are smart window film technologies based on a material that mixes polymer and liquid crystal. When the liquid crystal molecules are ordered, light passes through and the film is clear; when they are disordered, light scatters and the film turns opaque.

PDLC is the one that is clear when powered; PNLC is the one that is clear when the power is cut.

On that principle, the user can switch the film between clear and opaque easily.

  • PDLC

    Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal

    Clear when powered

    POWER OFF
    Light scatters · opaque
    POWER ON
    Light passes · clear

    Film structure

    1. PET
    2. ITO
    3. Liquid crystal ink

    Liquid crystal mix · 40% liquid crystal + 60% resin

    A photograph of an interior glass wall showing the unpowered opaque state beside the powered clear state
    Power off (opaque) / power on (clear)

  • PNLC

    Polymer Network Liquid Crystal

    Clear when the power is cut

    POWER OFF
    Light passes · clear
    POWER ON
    Light scatters · opaque

    Film structure

    1. PET
    2. ITO
    3. Alignment layer
    4. Liquid crystal ink

    Liquid crystal mix · 60% liquid crystal + 40% resin

    A bathroom window photograph split along the diagonal, showing the clear state and the opaque state together
    Two states compared across the diagonal of one window
A glass curtain wall building in sunlight, photographed from below
Supplied by D.I · PDLC Technology — a product BS ONE supplies.

02 Daylight Control

Daylight chosen section by section

Switch a window section by section and one pane gives you daylight and privacy at the same time. The state changes with nothing more than turning the power on or off.

Power ON

Light passes · clear

When the liquid crystal molecules are ordered, light passes through.

Power OFF

Light scatters · opaque

When they are disordered, light scatters and the film turns opaque.

  • PET Film
  • ITO
  • Liquid Crystal · Polymer
An interior photograph of one window divided into sections, some switched clear and some opaque
Sections switched separately to Power ON (clear) or Power OFF (opaque)
  • Switched to suit the user's preference
  • Daylight chosen by size and length

03 Features

Product characteristics matched to the site

01

Coating in a range of thicknesses

As the PET film substrate went from 188㎛ to 50㎛, the total laminated thickness fell from 400㎛ to 125㎛.

A thinner PDLC film brought the R value on curved surfaces down markedly. That makes the film easier to handle during installation and when removing debris. It can now also be wound onto a 2inch roll.

The thinner it gets, the lower the curved-surface R value

02

A range of sticky types

The sticky type can be chosen to suit the installation site.

Glass lamination
Normal Type
Sticky, wet application
Acryl Type
Sticky, dry application
Silicon Type

03

Added functions

Low-E added to block far infrared better

Insulation and heat rejection

Conventional solar control film achieves heat rejection by absorbing near infrared, that is solar heat. PDLC film combined with Low-E film instead reflects both near infrared solar heat and far infrared heat from indoor heating, so it insulates as well as rejects heat.

  • Solar control film and Low-E film

    Blocks solar heat

    300nm ~ 2,500nm

  • Low-E film

    Blocks far infrared (heating warmth)

    2,500nm ~ 50,000nm

A thermal camera image of a summer window, comparing the temperature of a surface without Low-E beside one with it
Summer · Solar heat blocked (lower cooling bills)Left without Low-E / right with Low-E
A thermal camera image of a winter interior, comparing the temperature of a surface without Low-E beside one with it
Winter · Heating warmth retained (lower heating bills)Left without Low-E / right with Low-E

Hard coating to resist everyday scratches

Scratch resistance

A thin coating on the outer face of the film protects it against everyday scratches.

Hardness : 2H

A microscope comparison photograph of an untreated surface beside a hard-coated one
Left untreated / right with hard coating

04 Specification

Standard specifications

There are three grades by transparency: White, Light gray and Dark gray.

ItemUnitWhiteLight grayDark gray
Optical Properties
Parallel Light Transmittance (650nm)ON(%)844525
OFF(%)1.01.01.0
HazeON(%)2.02.02.0
OFF(%)929292
UV Blocking%99.099.099.0
Electrical Properties
Operating VoltageVoltage(V)606060
FrequenciesHertz(Hz)50~6050~6050~60
Response TimeON→OFF(ms)101010
OFF→ON(ms)300300300
Power ConsumptionW/㎡555
Specification
Operating Temperature℃-20~80-20~80-20~80

05 Applications

Where it is used

Building interiors, facades and vehicle glass are all covered by the same film.

  • Partition / Blind

    Interior

    Office windows and meeting room glass partitions switched section by section.

    Four frames showing office windows and meeting room glass partitions with the power on and with it off
    Power ON (clear) / Power OFF (opaque) compared

  • Advertisement

    Display

    A building facade switched opaque to project advertising onto it.

    Three frames showing a building facade curtain wall clear, opaque, and with advertising projected onto the opaque surface
    Power ON (clear) / Power OFF (opaque) compared

  • Automobile

    CAR

    The transparency of a panoramic sunroof and side glass adjusted at will.

    Four frames showing a vehicle's panoramic sunroof and side glass with the power on and with it off
    Power ON (clear) / Power OFF (opaque) compared

A smart choice for your business: MRO procurement outsourcing

We can help with whatever you need to evaluate adopting the service. Weekdays 08:30–18:00.

Contact us063-834-6384
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