Matchable low-E I G units and laminates and methods of making same

• US 6,514,620 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lingle, Philip J., Stachowiak, Grzegorz, Larson, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCNEIL, JENNIFER C
• Application Number:
  US09/455,026
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 428/622, 428/623, 428/627, 428/630, 428/632, 428/680, 428/34, 428/46, 428/673, 428/426, 428/216, 428/428, 428/432, 428/469, 428/472, 428/698, 428/336, 359/585, 359/586, 359/359, 359/360
• US Class Current: 428/428
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3626 one layer at least containing a nitride, oxynitride, boronitride or carbonitride
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3652 the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/366 Low-emissivity or solar control coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3681 the multilayer coating being used in glazing, e.g. windows or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12542 More than one such component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12576 Boride, carbide or nitride component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12896 Ag-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12944 Ni-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

A neutral blue-green heat treatable and matchable glass laminate or I.G. unit employs a layer system whose visible transmittance increases by at least 4% during heat treatment and whose ΔE*_ab is less than about 3.0 and Δa* is less than about 0.7. The sputter coated layer system includes a silver layer sandwiched between nichrome layers and thereafter layers of Si₃N₄.

Claims

1. In a glass article comprising at least two glass substrates in light transmitting communication with each other and having a sputter coated layer system on at least one of said substrates, which coated substrate is heat treated for tempering, the improvement comprising said glass article being matchable and wherein said sputter coated layer system comprises from the glass substrate on which it is coated, outwardly:

a) a layer comprising silicon nitride;

b) a layer comprising at least one of nickel or nickel alloy having a nickel content of at least about 10% by weight Ni;

c) a substantially metallic layer comprising silver;

d) a layer comprising at least one of nickel or a nickel alloy having a nickel content of at least about 10% by weight Ni; and

e) a layer comprising silicon nitride;

wherein said layer system has a visible transmittance at least 4% greater after being heat treated for the tempering of the substrate than before it was heat treated, and the glass substrate upon which the layer system is provided is thermally tempered; and

wherein the relative thicknesses of said layers combine to result in said heat treated coated substrate which when viewed monolithically from the glass side of said coating has a Δ

E*_ab less than 2.0 and a Δ

a* less than about 0.8.

2. A glass article according to claim 1, wherein said glass article is an insulating glass unit comprising the two glass substrates spaced apart from one another to define an insulating space therebetween, and wherein said layer system is located on a surface of one of said glass substrates within said insulating space.

3. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said glass article is a glass laminate comprised of at least two sheets of glass sealed together and having therebetween said layer coating system.

4. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein the thicknesses of the layers are within the following range:

5. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said layer system consists essentially of said five layers and wherein a* and b* of said coated heat treated substrate are both negative.

6. A glass article according to claim 5 wherein said coated heat treated substrate has a color wherein a* is from about −

2.3 to −

6.3 and b* is from about −

4.5 to −

10.5.

7. A glass article according to claim 5 having a generally neutral, blue-green color and wherein said coated heat treated substrate has a color wherein a* is from about −

3.3 to −

5.3 and b* is from about −

6.4 to −

9.0.

8. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said coated heat treated glass substrate is comprised of a clear glass substrate.

9. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said coated heat treated glass substrate is a tempered glass substrate having a visible transmittance after tempering which is 5-7% greater than before tempering.

10. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said thicknesses of said layers are:

11. A glass article according to claim 10 wherein said substantially metallic layers consist essentially of Ni, Fe, and Cr.

12. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein said article is an insulating glass unit having an insulation space between said coated heat treated glass substrate and an uncoated glass substrate, wherein said glass of said substrates is clear glass and wherein said heat treated coated glass substrate monolithically has the following characteristics before and after heat treatment when measured at a glass thickness of 6 mm:

13. A glass article according to claim 12 wherein said heat treated coated glass substrate monolithically has the following characteristics before and after heat treatment when measured at a glass thickness of 6mm:

14. A glass article according to claim 1 wherein the Δ

a* of said coated glass substrate is substantially zero.

15. A glass article according to claim 1, 4 or 10 wherein said layer coating system so formed is mechanically and chemically durable both before and after said heat treatment.

16. A coated article comprising:

first and second spaced apart substrates;

at least one of said first and second substrates including a coating system provided thereon;

wherein said coating system includes;

a) a first silicon nitride inclusive layer having a thickness of from 310-350 Å

,

b) a first NiCr inclusive layer having a thickness of from 10-20 Å

,

c) an Ag inclusive layer having a thickness of from 52-62 Å

,

d) a second NiCr inclusive layer having a thickness of from 10-20 Å

, and

e) a second silicon nitride inclusive layer having a thickness of from 390-440 Å

;

wherein the substrate with the coating system thereon is heat treated in a manner sufficient for tempering, and is thermally tempered; and

wherein the substrate with the coating system thereon when viewed from the substrate side thereof has a Δ

E*_ab of less than 2.0.

17. The coated article of claim 16, wherein said Ag inclusive layer is in contact with each of said first and second NiCr inclusive layers.

18. The coated article of claim 17, wherein said first silicon nitride inclusive layer is in contact with said at least one substrate, and wherein said first NiCr inclusive layer is located directly between said first silicon nitride inclusive layer and said Ag inclusive layer.

19. The coated article of claim 16, wherein said first and second substrates comprise glass, and said first and second silicon nitride inclusive layers comprise Si₃N₄.

20. The coated article of claim 16, wherein said first and second NiCr inclusive layers are substantially non-oxidized and substantially non-nitrided.

21. The coated article of claim 16, wherein said one substrate with said coating system thereon is heat-treated, and wherein said one substrate with said coating system thereon has a color before said heat treatment of:

a* from −

2.6 to −

6.0

b* from −

3.5 to −

9.5

and after said heat treatment said one substrate with said coating system thereon when viewed from the substrate side thereof has a Δ

a* of less than 0.8.

22.The coated article of claim 21, wherein said one substrate with said coating system thereon when viewed from the substrate side thereof after heat treatment has a Δ

a* of less than 0.5; and

wherein said coating system has a visible transmittance at least 4% greater after the heat treatment than before the heat treatment.

22. A coated article comprising:

at least one glass substrate with a coating system provided thereon;

wherein said coating system includes a silver (Ag) inclusive layer located between at least first and second dielectric layers; and

wherein said glass substrate with said coating system thereon is heat treated for tempering and thermally tempered, wherein the heat treated for tempering causes the substrate with the coating system thereon when viewed from the substrate side to experience a Δ

E*_ab of less than 2.0 and a Δ

a* of less than about 0.8.

23. The coated article of claim 23, wherein the heat treatment causes said coated substrate to experience a Δ

a* of less than 0.5 when viewed from the substrate side.

24. The coated article of claim 23, wherein prior to the heat treatment the glass substrate with the coating system thereon has a color of:

a* from −

2.6 to −

6.0

b* from −

3.5 to −

9.5.

25. The coated article of claim 23, wherein said first and second dielectric layers each include silicon nitride.

26. A coated article comprising:

a tempered glass substrate with a coating system thereon, wherein said coating system includes an Ag inclusive layer located between at least a pair of dielectric layers;

wherein after heat treatment for tempering said substrate with the coating system thereon, the tempered substrate with the coating system thereon has a Δ

E*_ab less than 2.0 and a Δ

a* less than 0.8 when viewed from the substrate side thereof.

27. The coated article of claim 27, wherein after heat treatment said substrate with the coating system thereon has a Δ

a* less than 0.5 when viewed from the substrate side thereof, and wherein the heat treatment causes visible transmittance of the coating system to increase by at least 4%.

28. The coated article of claim 27, wherein each of said dielectric layers includes silicon nitride, and wherein the coating system further includes a pair of NiCr inclusive layers directly contacting and sandwiching the Ag inclusive layer therebetween.

29. The coated article of claim 27, further comprising a second substrate coupled to said glass substrate, and wherein the coated article both before and after the heat treatment appears substantially the same in color to the naked eye when viewed from the glass substrate side thereof.

30. A coated article comprising:

a tempered glass substrate with a multi-layer coating thereon, the coating including a layer comprising silver (Ag); and

wherein the coating comprises means for enabling the coated article to have, upon heat treatment for tempering, a Δ

E*_ab less than 2.0 when viewed from the glass substrate side.

31. The coated article of claim 31, wherein the means further enables the coated article to have a Δ

a* less than 0.8 when viewed from the substrate side thereof.

32. The coated article of claim 31, wherein the article comprises an IG window unit.

34. The coated article of claim 31, wherein the coating has, upon heat treatment for tempering of the glass substrate with the coating thereon, a Δ

a* less than 0.8 when viewed from the glass substrate side.

35. The coated article of claim 31, wherein each of the first and second dielectric layers comprise silicon nitride.

33. A coated article comprising:

a tempered glass substrate with a multi-layer coating thereon, the coating including a layer comprising silver (Ag) sandwiched between at least first and second dielectric layers; and

wherein the coating has, upon heat treatment for tempering of the glass substrate with the coating thereon, a Δ

E*_ab less than 2.0 when viewed from the glass substrate side.