Fire Protection Glass Coating Prevents Ion Diffusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Fire retardants used in fire protection glass can attack the glass surface, leading to turbidity and loss of transparency during manufacturing or over time, impairing the optical appearance.

Innovation Solution

A transparent fire protection element with a haze-reducing protective coating on the surface facing the fire retardant, particularly containing silicon oxide, which absorbs and stores alkali metal ions like sodium, preventing their diffusion and subsequent clouding. The coating is applied using a physical deposition process, ensuring uniformity and optimal thickness (20 nm to 100 nm) to prevent ion diffusion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a fire protection agent is applied to the glass surface, then fire resistance is improved, but the glass surface becomes cloudy and transparency is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefire resistanceVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

A protective coating layer is introduced as an intermediary between the glass pane and the fire protection agent. This coating prevents direct contact and chemical interaction between the fire protection agent and the glass surface, thereby preventing clouding while maintaining fire resistance. The coating acts as a barrier that allows the fire protection function to be maintained without the harmful side effect of surface degradation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the fire protection agent is applied directly to the glass, then the structure is simplified, but ion diffusion causes clouding

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovestructureVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective coating serves as a thin intermediary layer that adds minimal structural complexity while effectively preventing ion diffusion. The coating is applied as a separate layer between the glass and fire protection agent, creating a simple barrier structure that stops alkali metal ions from migrating into the fire protection agent and causing clouding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Illumination intensity

If a protective coating is applied to prevent ion diffusion, then transparency is maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetransparencyVSAvoidstructure
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective coating is implemented as a thin film layer on the glass surface. This thin film approach maintains transparency while providing the necessary barrier function. The coating is applied as a continuous, uniform layer that is thin enough to be transparent but sufficient to prevent ion diffusion, thus balancing the transparency requirement with minimal added complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively reduces or eliminates ion diffusion, maintaining the transparency of fire protection glass throughout its production and service life, preventing clouding and ensuring the glass remains clear.

Implementation Method 1

The protective coating particularly advantageously contains silicon oxide. The silicon oxide absorbs the disruptive alkali ions and stores them in its crystal structure.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP2760665B2Fire protection element with protective coating, and method for producing the same
Publication Date: 2022.06.15 INTERPANE ENTWICKLUNGS UND BERATUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH & CO KG
  • EP2760665B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2760665B2 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The fire-protection element (10) according to the invention comprises at least one transparent carrier element (11) and a fire-protection material (13), which is arranged on at least one surface (14) of the carrier element (11). The surface (14) of the carrier element (11), this surface being directed toward the fire-protection material (13), has a fogging-reducing protective coating (12). This protective coating (12) prevents alkali ions, in particular sodium ions, in particular from diffusing in the direction of the fire-protection material (13) from the carrier element (11), which would result in the fire-protection element (10) fogging.