different types of Window Tint Films
window tint films start with the film, which is
always polyester, 2 to 7 mils thick. Quite often,
several thin layers of film are bonded together.
One side is coated with either a pressure-sensitive
or water-activated adhesive. The exposed surfaces
of most window tint films are also treated with
a hard, scratch-resistant coating.
To filter out ultraviolet radiation, chemical UV
blockers (cyclic imino esters) are incorporated.
If the window tint film's purpose is to provide
only UV protection and shatter resistance, no other
materials need to be added.
is a technical breakdown of the components that
make up various window tint films.
KEY POINT by tintingaustralia
"Hybrid films are often referred
to in the market place as Carbon, Ceramic, Titanium etc these are your premium window tint film choices
for your car, as they last the longest and provide
the highest level of heat, glare and UV rejection.
As you see below they are more complicated to construct
which is why they cost more than a much simpler dyed
Window Tint Film
there, three separate technologies are applied to
achieve different performance characteristics. The
first is simply a dye, which absorbs heat. Because
most window tint films are applied to the inside
surfaces of windows, it's easy to imagine that the
absorbed heat would disperse indoors. In fact, the
heat rejected by the window tint film is stored
largely in the glass, and is drawn away by external
air movement. A tiny percentage does bleed inward,
but because the average speed of external air movement
is so much greater--the daily average is 15 mph,
versus 1/2 mph indoors--the ratio is 30:1 or better
in favour of outdoor heat dissipation. Because double-glazed
windows don't allow air movement between panes,
interior-dyed films should not be used on thermal
other two processes, called deposition technology
(vacuum coating/metallizing) and sputtering technology
(advanced metallizing), deposit a layer of metallic
particles on the film, giving it a reflective coating.
In each case, a second layer of film protects the
coating. Metallized films reject heat by reflecting
it before it can be transferred through the glass.
Window Tint Film
deposition technology, the film is drawn through
a tank containing metal ingots--usually aluminium
or nickel-chrome, and occasionally copper. A vacuum
is created by reducing the pressure in the tank,
which is then flooded with argon gas and the ingots
are heated. The heat causes the metal to give up
particles that migrate to the film's surface. The
density of the metal deposition is controlled by
the speed of the film through the chamber.
deposition technology works well and is relatively
inexpensive, it has its limits. To be effective,
the metallized coating must be fairly thick, as
the particles are comparatively large. What this
means at a practical level is that it produces a
darker, more highly mirrored surface. And second,
the list of metals that can be deposited evenly
is fairly short, which means fewer product options.
(Advanced Metalizing) Window Tint Film
technology is more complicated. Sputtering is also
done in a vacuum chamber, but the metallizing is
achieved at the atomic level. In brief, electromagnetic
fields direct streams of ions from a chemically
inert gas (usually argon) toward the metal. This
ion bombardment, which is often described as "atomic
billiards," causes groups of atoms to dislodge
in small bursts and scatter uniformly across the
The practical benefits of sputtering are that 25
to 30 different metals can be used and the metallized
coating is much lighter. It's possible to sputter
metal in a layer one-hundredth the thickness of
a human hair. Different metals are chosen to subtract
specific bands of radiation from the solar spectrum.
The result is a highly reflective layer with very
little mirror effect, heat absorption or colour
shift. Because sputtering is more expensive, these
films occupy the high end of the price range. Metallic
films control radiation through reflectivity. Simplified
film consists of polyester layers, metallic coating,
adhesive and scratch-resistant coatings.
the performance characteristics of dyed and metallic
films are generally distinct, there is some overlap.
Heat-absorbing dyed films are somewhat reflective,
and metallic films do absorb some heat because of
the mass and colour of the metals involved.
Window Tint Film
further complicate the issue, many films contain
both dyes and reflective metals. By combining dyes
and metals, the negative effects of each can be
reduced without sacrificing performance. A good
example is grey dye and titanium coating. If used
alone, dye would darken the film significantly,
while the titanium would produce a highly mirrored
surface. When paired, less of each can be used,
resulting in a film that is relatively bright and
point is significant, if only because it quells
the notion that the darkest films reject the most
heat. In most cases, dark films are chosen because
they offer greater privacy.