EELICON

Press release / 6.6.2016

For many decades, Fraunhofer ISC has been developing innovative coatings for glass and plastics. Modern coating systems with modular design provide multifunctional properties for more protection, safety, efficiency, comfort and performance. A new smart shading system consisting of electrochromic elements – developed in the current EU project EELICON – can be retrofitted, for example, to car windows. Fraunhofer ISC shows its latest developments in coating at booth C10 at the 11th ICCG (The International Conference on Coatings on Glass and Plastics) in Braunschweig, from 12th to 16th June 2016.

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EELICON is concerned with an innovative switchable light transmittance technology developed previously in projects co-funded by the EU Framework Programmes. The core of this development are mechanically flexible and light-weight electrochromic (EC) film devices based on a conductive polymer nanocomposite technology with a unique property profile far beyond the current state-of-the art, opening the possibility to retrofit existing windows with a electrically dimmable plastic film.

According to life cycle assessment studies, considerable energy savings may result when such films are included in appliance doors, aircraft cabin windows, and automotive sunroofs, and the comfort is significantly enhanced. The development has been driven to the pilot-line production stage, however, the decisive step from research to innovation could not yet be accomplished for a number of technical and economic reasons. To overcome this gap, EELICON will tackle existing drawbacks by removing equipment limitations, automating processes, and establishing a high-throughput prototype production for a cost-effective high performance EC film technology in Europe.