Clarity Neutral: A Game-Changing Anti-Reflective Coated Glass
Guardian Glass, a leading manufacturer of glass solutions, has recently introduced a new generation of advanced anti-reflective coated glass called Guardian Clarity™ Neutral. Developed to meet the growing demand for higher transparency, neutral-looking glass, this product offers improved aesthetics and performance compared to its predecessor, the old Clarity product.
According to Liam Williamson, Product Commercialization Manager Europe, and Dr. Jens-Peter Müller, Project Leader Vacuum Coatings at Guardian Glass, the new product provides the highest transparency of any Guardian Glass product to date. It offers a light transmission of over 98% in the visible range, providing truer and more natural views through the glass.
One of the main advantages of the Clarity™ Neutral is its better thermal stability, resulting in less color shift and a more precise and consistent appearance. Compared to the old product, the size of the color box has been reduced by around 50%, making Clarity™ Neutral less blue and more neutral. The special composition of the layer stack, which utilizes alternating low index and high index dielectrics, has contributed to these improvements.
Moreover, the better thermal stability widens the range of applications where the glass can be used, including printing colors or enameling onto the glass. It also results in less residue from abrasive processes on the final product, making it easier to clean after processing. With a reduced haze level by a factor of 2 to about 0.5%, Guardian Clarity™ Neutral offers higher visible and solar transmissions, resulting in a 2% higher solar factor for low-e applications and less product damage due to ultraviolet rays in retail storefront applications.
Guardian Clarity™ Neutral has a higher color rendering index of 99%, which means that the true color is very close to perfection. In addition, the product has new PVB for laminated glass, providing more neutral and less yellowish transmission. Fabrication has also been made easier, with the new product having only one temporary protective plastic film.
Guardian Clarity™ Neutral is designed for a wide range of commercial projects such as retail storefronts, building facades, curtain walls, decorative glass, balustrades and viewing areas, sports stadiums, as well as special purpose applications such as museum showcases, digital signage, and picture frames. This globally available product has project references across the world.
Developing this new high-performance product during the COVID-19 pandemic was challenging, with no travel allowed. However, the marketing and development teams in the USA and Europe worked remotely but closely together to bring Guardian Clarity™ Neutral to the market. The collective teamwork across the world between local production teams, application engineers, as well as European and global development teams, were critical to the success of the project.
In conclusion, Guardian Clarity™ Neutral is a game-changing anti-reflective coated glass that offers improved aesthetics and performance, wider applications, and easier fabrication. Its introduction into the market represents a significant advancement in the glass industry, providing an innovative solution for various commercial projects and special purpose applications.
Source: Guardian Glass with additional information added by GlassBalkan