Thermosensitive Window Laminate for Autonomous Cloudiness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing window and roof materials with temperature-sensitive dimming properties require complex structures and labor-intensive manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A window and light-transparent roof material comprising a light-transparent base material layer and an adhesive layer with a temperature-sensitive adhesive agent and polymer fine particles, where the refractive index and adhesive force change with temperature, allowing the material to autonomously adjust cloudiness and simplify manufacturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a temperature-sensitive dimming liquid laminated body is provided in a window to autonomously change cloudiness in response to temperature, then the window can reduce direct sunlight at high temperatures and let in solar radiation at low temperatures, but a dedicated structure body is required to maintain the shape of the liquid and the structure becomes complicated with increased manufacturing time and labor
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive composition changes its refractive index in response to temperature changes, particularly near its melting point where the refractive index increases rapidly as temperature decreases. This parameter change causes the adhesive layer to become cloudy at low temperatures and transparent at high temperatures, eliminating the need for complex dedicated structure bodies while maintaining autonomous temperature-responsive functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive composition is formulated as a composite material containing a temperature-sensitive adhesive agent and polymer fine particles. This composite structure enables both the adhesive function and the temperature-responsive optical property changes, simplifying the overall window structure by integrating multiple functions into a single material layer.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a temperature-sensitive dimming liquid laminated body is provided in a window to autonomously change cloudiness in response to temperature, then the window can reduce direct sunlight at high temperatures and let in solar radiation at low temperatures, but time and labor are required for manufacturing
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive composition utilizes its melting point characteristics to achieve rapid refractive index changes near the melting point temperature. This allows the material to exhibit pronounced cloudiness changes in the relevant temperature range, enabling effective temperature-responsive dimming functionality while maintaining a simple, easy-to-manufacture structure that reduces manufacturing time and labor.
3Illumination intensity
If the refractive index of the adhesive agent increases with decrease in temperature and the refractive index increasing rate is larger near the melting point, then the material can autonomously change transparency in response to temperature, but the adhesive force decreases with decrease in temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive composition exploits the phase transition characteristics of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent near its melting point. As temperature decreases and approaches the melting point, the adhesive agent undergoes phase changes that cause rapid refractive index increases (improving transparency control) while simultaneously reducing adhesive force. This phase transition mechanism enables the coupled optical and mechanical behavior described in the claims.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive composition is designed to exhibit significant changes in both refractive index and adhesive force near the melting point temperature. By controlling the temperature relative to the melting point, the system can achieve desired transparency levels while managing adhesive force characteristics, allowing autonomous temperature-responsive operation.
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 material can easily change transparency in response to temperature, reducing direct sunlight in summer and allowing sunlight in winter, while being easily manufactured without a complicated structure.
Implementation Method 1
a refractive index of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent increasing with a decrease in temperature, a refractive index increasing rate as an amount of increase in the refractive index per 1° C. of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent being larger near a melting point of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent than in a temperature range not near the melting point of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent
Implementation Method 2
adhesive force of the temperature-sensitive adhesive composition decreasing with a decrease in temperature, and an adhesive force reduction rate as an amount of decrease in the adhesive force per 1° C. of the adhesive composition being larger near the melting point of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent than in a temperature range not near the melting point of the temperature-sensitive adhesive agent
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are: a window material and a light-transparent roof material which can autonomously change the cloudiness thereof in accordance with temperature, have an uncomplicated structure, and can be easily manufactured; a building comprising the window material and/or the light-transparent roof material; and a corresponding vehicle, ship, or aircraft. The window material or the light-transparent roof material according to the present invention comprises at least one light-transparent base material layer and at least one adhesive layer, wherein: the adhesive layer is formed from an adhesive composition containing 1 to 100 parts by mass of polymer fine particles with respect to 100 parts by mass of a thermosensitive adhesive; the refractive index of the thermosensitive adhesive increases as the temperature decreases, with the rate of increase in the refractive index being greater in the vicinity of the melting point of the thermosensitive adhesive than in a temperature range other than the vicinity of the melting point; and the adhesive power of the adhesive composition decreases as the temperature decreases, with the rate of decrease in the adhesive power being greater in the vicinity of the melting point of the thermosensitive adhesive than in the temperature range other than the vicinity of the melting point.