Materials | technology CONSTRUCTION POLYCARBONATE


Window on the world


Polycarbonate glazing is helping schools to boost energy efficiency and classroom comfort. The Versatile window,


Interlayer helps glazing get tough


A recent refurbishment of Vienna’s Ares Tower replaced all single-pane toughened glass with laminated glass, which incorporates DuPont’s SentryGlas interlayer. Thanks to its high strength


and stiffness, the interlayer helps comparatively thin and light glazing units to withstand elevated loads. This meant that the replacement required neither reinforcement nor other costly changes to the load-bearing sub-frame. The laminated glass units – supplied and installed by MGT Mayer Glastechnik – con- sist of two 6mm-thick sheets of single pane toughened


ETPs Taking a Peek at high performance loudspeaker


US-based Wisdom Audio has used Peek film from Ajedium Films to create a laminated diaphragm for a new design of loudspeaker. The company incorporates the laminate – which combines Ajedium’s Ket- aSpire Peek film, aluminium foil and a proprietary adhesive – into its L8i model in-wall loudspeaker system.


www.filmandsheet.com Ajedium Films is a division


of Solvay Specialty Polymers. Wisdom says it is investi- gating whether KetaSpire Peek could replace traditional materials such as polyimide across its range of loudspeak- ers.


“Solvay and Ajedium met


the cost/performance challenge because KetaSpire Peek satisfies our strength


and thermal requirements and provides cost benefit and improved productivity com- pared to polyimides,” said David Graebener, senior vice president of research and development at Wisdom. Ajedium supplies Peek film in thicknesses of 12 microns to 40 mil for speaker dia- phragms, which range in size from 6 sq in to 300 sq in


(0.56m2 to 27.87m2 ). The Peek


film is laminated to the aluminium foil with a proprietary high-heat adhesive, then etched. The three-mil-thick lamination (aluminium foil/adhesive/ Peek film) is stretched and bonded to the frame so it can then move back and forth to create sound. ❙ www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com


January/February 2014 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 39


glass. The two sheets are bonded together with a 1.52mm thick SentryGlas interlayer. The resultant panel


thickness of 13.52mm is comparable to that of the previously used 12mm single pane toughened glass panels, while the weight is almost unchanged at 125kg. Walter Mayer, chief


executive of MGT, said: “Using conventional PVB interlayers would have meant using a thicker laminated glass structure in order to meet regulatory requirements. The refurbishment could then not have been carried out within


the specified time and cost constraints. The SentryGlas interlayer helped us make direct use of the existing load-bearing structure while meeting all requirements.” The combination of low


thickness and high loading capacity is possible because SentryGlas interlayers can transfer elevated shear forces thanks to their high strength and rigidity. In practice, under identical loading, laminates with SentryGlas undergo less than half the deflection of a laminate with PVB, says DuPont. ❙ www.dupont.com


from Winco Windows, uses polycarbonate sheet from Bayer MaterialScience. The system was recently installed at Reno High School in Reno, Nevada, where it reduced heating load by up to 25%. “In addition to the


reduction in heating costs, the system provided superior light transmission along with an integral blind attachment – enabling us to remove shading devices such as awnings,” said Tony McMil- len, construction and project manager director for the school district. The inherent visual quality of the Makrolon multi UV sheet provided a finished look that matched the original glass block architec- tural aesthetic that was replaced. ❙ www.bayer.com


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