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Liquid crystal glazing
Liquid crystal glazing, which is transparent or opaque according
to whether or not it is activated by an electric field, can be used
to instantly shut out unwanted eyes from or into rooms, offices
or across counter barriers.
The glazing system consists of two sheets of glass between which
is placed, a film of liquid crystal droplets (from 1 to 5 mm thick)
imprisoned in a transparent polymer matrix and sandwiched between
two transparent electrodes. This type of glazing operates by adapting
the refractive index of the polymer matrix and the ordinary index
of the liquid crystal droplets when the latter are aligned under
the effect of an electric field. This makes the glass transparent.
In the absence of an electrical field, the liquid crystal molecules
in each droplet are parallel but their direction of orientation
varies from one droplet to another. This causes diffusion of the
incident light and makes the glass opaque.
Saint-Gobain Glass distributes this product in Europe under the
brand name SGG PRIVA-LITE, the first glazing of this type. Further
information on its applications is available at www.sggprivalite.com.
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