Silver barrier materials for low-emissivity applications

• US 9,448,345 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intermolecular Incorporated, Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hassan, Mohd Fadzli Anwar, Boyce, Brent, Ding, Guowen, Le, Minh Huu, Sun, Zhi-Wen Wen, Wang, Yu, Xu, Yongli
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tallman, Robert E
• Application Number:
  US13/725,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20140177042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3649 made of metals other than 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 17/40 all coatings being metal coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 14/00 Alloys based on titanium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 27/02 Alloys based on vanadium, niobium, or tantalum
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 5/06 Alloys based on silver
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/208 for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/282 reflecting for infrared and transparent for visible light, e.g. heat reflectors, laser protection

Abstract

A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include an alloy of a first element having high oxygen affinity with a second element having low oxygen affinity. The first element can include Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mn, Y, Si, and Ti, and the second element can include Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, and W, which can have low oxygen affinity property. The alloy barrier layer can reduce optical absorption in the visible range, can provide color-neutral product, and can improve adhesion to the silver layer.

Claims

1. A method to form a low emissivity coating, comprising:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a first layer on the transparent substrate, wherein the first layer comprises silver, wherein the first layer is operable as an infrared reflective layer; and

forming a second layer directly on the first layer, wherein the second layer is operable as a barrier layer,

wherein the second layer comprises an alloy of a first element and a second element,

wherein the first element comprises one of Zr, Hf, or Mn,

wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, or W,

wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 50 wt % of the first element and between 15 wt % and 50 wt % of the second element.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the percentage by weight of the first element is greater than the percentage by weight of the second element in the second layer.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 65 wt % of the first element and between 15 wt % and 35 wt % of the second element.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the first element comprises one of Zr or Mn.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Mo, or W.

6. A method as in claim 5 wherein the first element comprises Mn.

7. A method to form a low emissivity coating, comprising:

providing a transparent substrate;

forming a first layer on the transparent substrate, wherein the first layer comprises silver, wherein the first layer is operable as an infrared reflective layer; and

forming a second layer directly on the first layer, wherein the second layer is operable as a barrier layer,

wherein the second layer consists of an alloy of a first element and a second element,

wherein the first element comprises one of Zr, Hf, or Mn,

wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, or W,

wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 50 wt % of the first element and between 15 wt % and 50 wt % of the second element,

wherein the percentage by weight of the first element is greater than the percentage by weight of the second element in the second layer.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the alloy comprises greater than 65 wt % of the first element.

9. A method as in claim 7 wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 65 wt % of the first element.

10. A method as in claim 7 wherein the alloy comprises less than 35 wt % of the second element.

11. A method as in claim 9 wherein the alloy comprises between 35 wt % and 15 wt % of the second element.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein the first element comprises one of Zr or Mn.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Mo, or W.

14. A low emissivity panel, comprising:

a transparent substrate;

a first layer disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the first layer comprises silver, wherein the first layer is operable as an infrared reflective layer; and

a second layer disposed directly on the first layer, wherein the second layer is operable as a barrier layer,

wherein the second layer comprises an alloy of a first element and a second element,

wherein the first element comprises one of Zr, Hf, or Mn,

wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, or W,

wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 50 wt % of the first element and between 15 wt % and 50 wt % of the second element.

15. A panel as in claim 14 wherein the alloy comprises greater than 65 wt % of the first element.

16. A panel as in claim 14 wherein the alloy comprises between 85 wt % and 65 wt % of the first element.

17. A panel as in claim 14 wherein the alloy comprises less than 35 wt % of the second element.

18. A panel as in claim 16 wherein the alloy comprises between 35 wt % and 15 wt % of the second element.

19. A panel as in claim 18 wherein the first element comprises one of Zr or Mn.

20. A panel as in claim 19 wherein the second element comprises one of Ru, Ni, Mo, or W.