Glass-Technology International 2/2005

Transcription

1 101 The introduction and use of PVB safety film, in the 1930s, gave way to numerous applications in the field of architectural glazing. One of Europe s major processor of these films, Trosifol, is continuously looking for improvements and further applications of its product Trosilfol which now also includes PV and automotive uses. The possibility to transport and store this product at ambient temperature is another of the advantages that the company has recently come up with. Jörg Theesfeld & Rainer Hardtke* KURARAY SPECIALITIES EUROPE, GMBH Decoral for the production of laminated glass

2 102 ACKGROUND Trosifol (German acronym for Troisdorf safety film) is a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film and European market leader in PVB films for laminated safety glass in architectural glazing. The raw material for all Trosifol films is PVB, which has been in use as an interlayer in laminated safety glass since the 30s. Powdered PVB resin is blended with plasticizers to give it sufficient elasticity for its use as a safety glass film. Experience with the processing of this raw material dating back to 1953, is one of the main reasons for the technical sophistication of Trosifol today. Trosifol is certified to ISO/TS and DIN EN ISO 9001:2000. Today, Trosifol operates a worldwide distribution network comprising several subsidiaries, agents and warehouse sites, and markets its products in over 75 countries. Production is carried out at the parent plant in Troisdorf, near Cologne, Germany, and in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. The brand is branching out into the automotive OEM market, while devoting special attention to the international sales markets and particularly to Asia, Russia and North America. TROSIFOL PRODUCT RANGE With a maximum thickness tolerance of only 0.02 millimetres over a width of 3.21 metres, and compliance with extremely tight production tolerances, Trosifol delivers the prerequisites for high-grade laminated glass. Another feature is the use of separate process steps to precisely determine the film's moisture content, which is important for controlled adhesion in the laminate. The applications of Trosifol in the production of laminated glass extend from the simple lamination of two panes of glass and one film, through to multiple safety glass lamination for special applications with at least two layers of film sandwiched between three panes of glass. Depending on the glass or film thickness and the number of laminations, laminated safety glass is capable of resisting impact, penetration, bullets and explosion. Trosifol is available in thicknesses of 0.38, 0.76, 1.14 and 1.52 millimetres, in lengths of up to 1,000 metres and in widths of up to 3.21 metres, so-called jumbo rolls. All film types can be supplied in two forms firstly as a cooled film, which is stored at a maximum temperature of 8 C; and, secondly, provided with a special PE interlayer to prevent the PVB sheets sticking together at room temperature. ARCHITECTURAL USES This is where Trosifol has a large selection of products for a huge variety of applications. Laminated safety glass from Trosifol is distinguished by outstanding properties in terms of safety, long-term strength, noise and UV protection, and optical quality. It goes without saying that it satisfies all the requirements of the relevant quality standards. The product range comprises the successful standard products MB, PR and MV as well as the noise-insulated PVB Sound Control films and the Trosifol colour range. The standard products are available in film widths of 0.38 to 1.52 millimetres. The new colour range encompasses selected standard colours in roll widths up to 2.25 metres and continuous lengths of 30 metres plus. Sound control sound insulation film This special acoustic film made of PVB features outstanding sound insulation properties (RW = 37 db for 44.2). Laminated safety glass made with this film satisfies quality standards EN 12543, EN and EN 356 and displays the familiar outstanding optical properties. The films are available in thicknesses of 0.76 to 1.52 millimetres. This product was awarded general approval (DIBT) No. Z by the German building supervisory authorities in December Trosifol Solar Trosifol Solar is a new PVB film specially developed for laminated glass, produced with integrated solar cells. Production takes place in a serial single-stage vacuum process. Solar cell modules produced with Trosifol Solar have a very long service life and feature the same excellent safety properties as standard laminated safety glass. Decoral Decoral is a new PVB design film for the production of laminated safety glass. The variety of decorations is huge and the applications for indoor and outdoor glazing are unlimited. This film is being developed and marketed together with Trosifol s Italian partner Decoral System.

3 Decoral products have outstanding properties in terms of long-term stability, UV protection, light-fastness and safety/security. Decoral, the unusual design film, is available in a thickness of 0.38 millimetres and a maximum width of 1,600 millimetres. The film is supplied with PE interlayers, so no cooling is necessary during transport. 103 AUTOMOTIVE GLAZING Trosifol VG is the standard product for automotive glazing. Windscreens and side windows with this product have outstanding properties in terms of active and passive safety, UV production and long-term strength. At the same time, the film satisfies all relevant quality standards such as ECE-R 43 and ANSI Z The product range includes both crystal-clear, transparent films, as well as a large selection of colour films and shaded products in 0.76 millimetres thickness. Trosifol PG is a special product with an asymmetrical surface structure for solar control glazing in combination with coated PET films. Trosifol MV-SC is a new innovative PVB film giving up to 8 db better than conventional vehicle glazing. SOUND INSULATION Architectural Unlike conventional forms of sound insulation using glass, laminated safety glass not only reduces sound, but also has the additional advantage of excellent safety performance. With its optimized SC film launched in 2003, Trosifol has now made the breakthrough for a top-quality acoustic glazing product. In the multiple-glazing sector, this product combines outstanding noise reduction properties with all the advantages of a conventional Trosifol PVB film. Compared to float glass of the same thickness, Trosifol SC achieves an improvement of about 5 db in sound insulation value. Laminated safety glass with Trosifol SC achieves the highest sound insulation values with an Rw up to approximately 45 db with a single pane of laminated safety glass and 50 db or more with two panes of laminated safety glass. Test certificates for DIN EN and DIN EN ISO 140 are available on request. The Post Tower, headquarters of Deutsche Post Word Net, Bonn, Germany

4 104 With this further-developed product, even large pane formats can be produced at a constant level of high quality. Major changes to the conventional production parameters of the existing process are not necessary. The new film is just as easy to process as all standard products for the architectural sector. For the production of all conventional sizes of laminated safety glass, Trosifol SC is available in roll widths up to 3,210 millimetres. In glazing configuration 44.2, laminated safety glass with this film complies with class P1A of standard EN 356 and configuration 44.4 with class P2A. Laminated safety glass produced with Trosifol SC satisfies EN ISO requirements. Configurations tested with the pendulum impact test conforming to DIN EN show safe shattering behaviour. The film is available in thicknesses of 0.76 (roll length metres), 1.14 (roll length metres) and 1.52 millimetres (roll length metres). Trosifol Solar, a specially designed new PVB film for the lamination of solar cells with glass Trosifol SC improves the sound insulation performance of currently available laminated safety glass. The characteristic safety features of laminated safety glass are now supplemented by the advantage of better sound insulation while retaining the excellent optical properties of clarity, transparency and light stability. Automotive MV-SC is Trosifol s acoustic film for cars. Developed for windscreens and side windows, in its standard configuration, this film meets the requirements of the relevant standards. Trosifol MV-SC, which is also available with a shade band, has extremely good venting properties, owing to its optimized surface structure. The end laminated product using this film shows the same outstanding characteristics in terms of safety, optics and long-term strength as the standard product range.

5 Since January, 1 st, and with approval by the relevant cartel authority, TROSIFOL belongs to the German Kuraray Specialities Europe GmbH (KSE, formerly Clariant), a subsidiary of the internationally operating Kuraray Co. Ltd. (Tokyo/Japan). An agreement for the sale of the TROSIFOL activities of HT TROPLAST AG (Troisdorf/Germany) had already been signed by KSE and Rütgers AG, the Essenbased wholly owned subsidiary of the energy and TROSIFOL NOW BELONGS TO THE KURARAY GROUP chemicals group RAG Aktiengesellschaft in November KSE is the world's leading producer of polyvinyl alcohols, one of the initial products for polyvinyl butyral resins, the second large business sector and raw material for Trosifol PVB film. KSE has enjoyed good relations with Trosifol for decades as a supplier of this resin. The Kuraray Group has a workforce of about 7,000 employees worldwide, mainly at production locations in Japan, Singapore and Europe. In 2003, the Kuraray Group achieved total sales of about USD 3.1 billion. "Research and development" is another focus of the assertive and forwardlooking approach of this successful Group domiciled in Tokyo, Japan. In its global strategy, it aims to expand foreign business outside Japan, with its main activities concentrated on the target markets of Europe, the United States and Asia. For instance, KSE's production capacity of polyvinyl alcohol at its Frankfurt site is being increased from its current roughly 50,000 metric tons by a further 20,000 tons in the coming year. For this reason, it is being stressed particularly with the 170-strong Trosifol workforce in Troisdorf in mind that the emphasis after the acquisition will not be on restructuring. In fact, the existing Trosifol sites, and particularly production in Troisdorf and Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, with its now 55 employees, will be strengthened and expanded. 105 SOLAR FILM PROTECTION AND UV CONVERSION The huge attention attracted by the International Conference for Renewable Energies (Renewables 2004), with over 3,600 participants from 154 countries, in Bonn, Germany, in June 2004, has, once again, shown just how much importance is attached to the promotion and further development of alternative energies. Thanks to studies and research carried out, Trosifol has produced Trosifol Solar, the world's first PVB film specially developed for the lamination of solar cells, presented at glasstec This type of film is laminated in a serial single-stage vacuum process. The solar modules produced in this way have an extra-long service life and qualify as laminated safety glass in accordance with EN ISO Trosifol Solar is a new type of PVB film for the lamination of crystalline Si cells in a glass/glass solar cell module. It is preferably used in a single-stage vacuum process and yields solar cell modules with a high resistance to climatic change and a long service life. These modules can be used as laminated safety glass elements on façades or glass roofs. This new type of film can be processed in a serial single-stage vacuum process, e.g. rubber bladder, rubber ring or vacuum laminator. The resultant solar modules have high resistance to climatic change and thus an extra-long service life. Moreover, they are also genuine laminated safety glass. The transparent film is available in a thickness of 0.5 millimetres. Measured with two panes of 4-millimetre white glass, the film permits a light transmission of over 89 per cent. By comparison, UV transmission is less than 0.5 per cent. The handling and processing is much the same as for standard Trosifol standard products. *Head of Business Development and Marketing Division Trosifol Kuraray Specialities Europe GmbH Division TROSIFOL Mülheimer Strasse 26 D Troisdorf Germany Tel: Fax: