Rear-view mirrors

The desirable properties of an electrochromic system for use in both rear-view mirrors or glazing units are  

Electrically switchable rear-view mirrors for cars and trucks have been in commercial production since the early 1990s, the leading company being the Gentex Corporation. The Gentex mirror consists of an ITO-glass surface, with the conductive side inwards, and a reflective metallic surface, spaced less than a millimetre apart. In the gap between these two electrodes is the solution electrolyte that is coloured at the anode by formation of the stable radical cation, similar to Wurster s 

The Donnelly Corporation have also devised a rear-view mirror using an hybrid system. A metal oxide electrochromic layer is used in conjunction with a non-elec-trochromic reversible redox complex in the contacting solution.  

The electrochromic, self-dimming mirror market is expanding rapidly, comprising around 6 M of the estimated 150 M total for mirrors in cars and trucks in 2000. The market is set to grow to around 15 M by 2010, with additional growth in self-dim-mable sunroofs and sun visors. 

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Many grades of interlayer are produced to meet specific length, width, adhesion, stiffness, surface roughness, color (93,94), and other requirements of the laminator and end use. Sheet can be suppHed with vinyl alcohol content from 15 to about 23 wt %, depending on the suppHer and appHcation. A common interlayer thickness for automobile windshields is 0.76 mm, but interlayer used for architectural or aircraft glaring appHcations, for example, may be much thinner or thicker. There are also special grades to bond rear-view mirrors to windshields (95,96) and to adhere the components of solar cells (97,98). Multilayer coextmded sheet, each component of which provides a separate property not possible in monolithic sheet, can also be made (99—101). 

A recent reference [1] lists twenty suppliers of structural acrylic adhesives. Many other companies have been involved in this area, and it is often felt that acrylic adhesives have unrealized technical potential [2]. Acrylic adhesives are not commonly found in the consumer market, but fill an important niche there in the bonding of rear view mirrors to windshields in automobiles. 

Another source of increased drag involves the external-surface details. In this regard, stand-alone bumpers, externally protruding door handles, and running boards alongside the passenger compartment to facilitate entity, all of which were once universal, have disappeared. Flush rather than recessed side windows have come into recent use. On the other hand, external rear view mirrors, which increase drag, have been added as a safety measure. 

There are multiple parts with multiple functions as varied as housing of rear-view mirrors grilles, back ventilation grids luggage boxes, in composites or thermoplastics wheel trims door handles accelerator pedals bases of cigar lighters... 

The materials that change colour on passing a charge are called electrochromes, and these can be classified into three groups. In the first type the colouring species remain in solution in the second type the reactants are in solution but the coloured product is a solid the third type are those where all the materials are solids, e.g. in films. The first type is used in car, anti-dazzle, rear-view mirrors, the second type in larger mirrors for commercial vehicles and the third type in smart windows (see section 1.5.4.2). 

Another well-established use of UV/visible lighf curing adhesives is glass, a plastics bonding in the automotive industry. Typical applications are lamination of safety glass, fastening of rear-view mirrors to windshields, and assembly of headlights. ... 

This session gazed into the crystal ball while occasionally looking into the rear-view mirror to review the past 25 years. 

The adhesive bonding of plastic assembly components such as instrument panels, spoilers, spare wheel boxes, roof parts, trim assembles, and fenders is generally with one- or two-component polyurethanes. Frequently, a primer is used as pretreatment to improve adhesion. Adhesive tape systems can provide good results for the bonding of dash panels, trim lines, insignia parts, and rear view mirrors, for example. 

To summarize, many fibre-reinforced thermoplastics are not suitable for extended exterior exposure where the maintenance of appearance is important unless their surface is protected. Some unprotected applications that are found include car door handles, rear-view mirror housings and body panels (for all of which polyamides, polyethylene terephthalate and polybutylene terephthalate are used), as well as parts for caravans, boats and snowmobiles. 

Vehicles Inside surfaces of windows, glass films, rear-view mirrors, and windshields... 

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