SBIR Phase II: Fast Switching Electrochromic Window

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to improve light/heat control into the automobile and enhance user comfort by replacing existing automotive glass with dynamic automotive glass. Economic and environmental benefits of using dynamic windows in automobiles include increase of miles per gallon by reducing air conditioning load with enhance light/heat management. Replacing standard automotive sunroof glass with dynamic sunroof glass will increase fuel efficiency by 3 miles per gallon during summer time. If all the glass in an automobile is replaced with dynamic glass then the impact will be much larger, resulting in decrease in oil consumption by several millions of barrels per day. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will utilize scalable solution processed techniques to create unique fast switching electrochromic layers. Current dynamic window technologies have not reached their market potential due to their high cost. Due to technological limitations, current dynamic window products can only be used for sunroof applications as a result there are not being used for side windows, rear glass or windshield. New class of electrochromic windows based on innovative materials and device designs that achieve fast switching, high contrast and low production costs will enable wide spread adoption of smart windows in a broad range of automobiles. The novel electrochromic layers developed during Phase I research will be improved further and scaled up to commercially significant size prototypes. New smart windows will cost 3-4x lower compared to current smart window products on the market or in advanced development stage. These novel electrochromic devices will be thoroughly characterized and their long term reliability established by the end of Phase II research. At the end of Phase II prototypes of fast switching electrochromic automotive glazing will be built that are suitable for installation in a car for sunroof and/or side window.