Project Overview

Elite Smart Film can be used for indoor compartments, replacing curtains, large projections and touch screens, materials design and many other functions.

Elite Smart Film can break through the traditional application frameworks of windows; by applying technology, the smart film is transformed into having the function of both taking care of home life and the aesthetics for commercial exhibitions.

Organisation

Elite Smart Film Inc. Taiwan Branch(BELIZE)

Team

Chieh Ming Tsai
Yi Tong Chang

Project Brief

Elite Smart Film is made by injecting liquid crystal polymers and conductive polymers between two transparent conductive films. It appears foggy when not energized, but through alternating current effects, the liquid crystal molecules inside will arrange neatly and the film will change from a foggy state into being transparent. Quick conversion between transparency and opacity is achieved simply through a power switch.

Project Innovation/Need

The main conductive material used by most smart films that adopt LCD panels on the market is ITO; but due to its low opacity, heat intolerance, low durability to sunlight exposure and special power specifications, not only does it take up space, it also malfunctions very easily. As a result, it could not be applied for exterior wall curtains and outdoor advertisements effectively. In order to break through the stereotype that most users have for smart films, the designer insisted on starting R&D from the raw materials. Under the efforts of our R&D team, the PEDOT conductive layer was successfully created. Its features and performances are better than ITO, and we already obtained the patent for the composition of the conductive layer.

The PEDOT material used by Elite Smart Film ensures high transmittance and low resistance effects simultaneously; it can isolate 100% of the UV rays and over 90% of infrared. Its lightweight and heat-resistance features also allows it to be applied in outdoor environments such as exhibitions and department store windows. Since the material is strong, flexible and bendable, its applications have increased significantly across different fields; for example: it can be applied on windows facing direct sunlight exposure, outdoor advertisements and construction planning, etc. It can be seen from the description above that the exclusively patented PEDOT material used for Elite Smart Film can effectively resolve the inconveniences from using ITO.

Design Challenge

Elite Smart Film can be applied in an extremely wide range of different environments. First off, it allows users to freely adjust the transparency of windows in general living spaces using its stepless dimming features whether it is the bedroom, dining room or living room; its ability to block 100% of the UV rays is particularly important when it comes to the health of the residents or the maintenance of leather furniture. Secondly, in terms of applications in commercial spaces, the strong materials of the smart film can transform the compartment walls or projection screens of conference rooms into whiteboard walls to play videos or write on whiteboards. Compared to general glass materials, smart films have extremely good explosion-proof and soundproof effects; it allows meetings to be free from outside interference and increases the security of meeting spaces.

Smart films can replace power-consuming LCD screens on the glass curtain walls in department stores and be used as large projection advertising walls; it can provide energy-saving and carbon-reduction benefits. Finally, for the clean rooms of industrial production lines or medical facilities, the quick transparency-switching feature of smart films can satisfy all external patrols, visits and internal displays. When it comes to indoor air quality, the Elite Smart Film can reduce the flaw of dust and dirt accumulation when general cloth curtains are installed, achieving antibacterial effects and is easy to wipe clean.

Sustainability

The exclusively patented technology for PEDOT (conductive polymer) from Elite Smart Film can be installed in venues with sun exposure on a long-term basis, which will automatically transform into a scattering state to shield sunlight and radiation in case of high temperature, thereby blocking off 100% of the UV ray and over 90% of the IR ray, effectively decreasing the indoor temperature and significantly reducing energy consumption to implement an energy-saving and low-carbon lifestyle. The power consumption is around 6W/m2 after the power is connected, making it an indispensable technological smart construction material for green buildings. In addition, Elite Smart Film can effectively block out noise when applied on glass, featuring an even better anti-noise effect than glasses, which is an excellent technology to reduce noise pollution.