Titanium Oxynitride Solar Control Glazing Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glass glazings with solar-control properties lack durability and selectivity, as they often rely on sensitive metallic layers that are prone to moisture damage and exhibit non-selective absorption/reflection of solar and visible radiation, resulting in high emissivity and poor colorimetry.
Innovation Solution
The use of titanium oxynitride layers with controlled oxygen and nitrogen content, combined with dielectric and metallic layers, to create a stack that selectively reflects/absorbs infrared radiation while maintaining high light transmission and neutral or blue-green colorimetry, achieving improved selectivity and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metallic layers of silver type are used to reflect infrared radiation, then solar control and low-emissivity properties are improved, but durability deteriorates due to sensitivity to moisture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces titanium oxynitride layers as intermediary materials between the glass substrate and the environment, replacing direct moisture-exposed metallic silver layers. These titanium oxynitride layers serve as mediating functional layers that provide infrared reflection/absorption while being inherently resistant to moisture, thus protecting the solar control function without requiring separate protective barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from reactive metallic silver to chemically stable titanium oxynitride compounds. By controlling the stoichiometry and oxidation state of titanium oxynitride, the invention achieves the desired optical properties (infrared reflection/absorption) while fundamentally altering the chemical stability parameter to resist moisture degradation.
2Reliability
If metallic layers are used for solar control, then infrared reflection is improved, but selectivity deteriorates due to non-selective absorption/reflection of visible and infrared radiation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing titanium oxynitride layers with specific compositional gradients and thickness variations to achieve wavelength-selective optical properties. Different regions of the coating stack have optimized compositions (varying Ti:O:N ratios) that selectively interact with specific wavelength ranges, allowing infrared reflection while maintaining visible light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material structures combining titanium oxynitride with other oxynitride compounds and dielectric layers. This composite approach enables tuning of the optical response across different wavelengths, achieving selective infrared reflection while preserving visible transparency through the combined optical properties of the composite stack.
3Reliability
If non-selective metallic layers are used, then infrared control is achieved, but colorimetry deteriorates resulting in poor aesthetic appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the optical parameters by precisely controlling the composition (Ti:O:N ratios), thickness, and layer structure of titanium oxynitride coatings. These parameter adjustments enable the coating to reflect infrared radiation while maintaining high visible light transmission and achieving neutral or desired color tints, thus improving both thermal performance and aesthetic appearance.
4Ease of manufacture
If simple CVD deposition is used for coating, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but coating complexity increases when solar control properties are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the solar control function from complex multi-material stacks and consolidates it into titanium oxynitride-based layers that can be deposited using relatively simple CVD or sputtering processes. This extraction simplifies the manufacturing by reducing the number of different material types and deposition techniques required, while maintaining the necessary functional complexity through optimized titanium oxynitride layer structures.
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 achieves high selectivity and low emissivity, maintaining strong illumination and minimizing heat entry while providing aesthetically pleasing neutral or blue-green tinted glazings with enhanced durability against moisture and mechanical abrasion.
Implementation Method 1
selectively reflecting the majority of the infrared radiation
Implementation Method 2
absorbing the incident infrared radiation
Implementation Method 3
by vacuum sputtering deposition techniques, often referred to as magnetron sputtering
Data Source
AI summary
A glass article with a solar-control function includes at least one glass substrate and a stack of layers deposited on at least one face of the substrate. The stack of layers includes a layer of titanium oxynitride of general formula TiNxOy, in which 1.00<x<1.20 and in which 0.01<y<0.10. The stack of layers further includes layers of dielectric materials and optionally of metallic or nitrided layers based on chromium, nickel, titanium, niobium or a mixture of at least two of these elements.