Paper
12 November 1987 Durability Of Silvered Polymer Mirrors
Paul Schissel, Rita M. Goggin, Yvonne D. Shinton
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The initial optical performance of silvered polymer mirrors exceeds the long-range goals for heliostat applications. Durability studies of silvered polymer mirrors use accelerated weathering devices and outdoor exposures. Continuing tests of outdoor exposures show that silvered polymer mirrors can maintain specular reflectances greater than 90% into an acceptance angle of 4 mrad for over 1 year. Materials placed in tests earlier, while the initial optical performance was still being improved, show that silver corrosion is resisted for at least 3 years and that the reflectance can be maintained at a specularity of at least 12 mrad. The polymer films do not resist abrasion as well as glass; however, hard-coats applied as a top-coat to the polymer significantly improve abrasion resistance. Ongoing durability studies of the hard-coated mirrors show that optical performance is maintained outdoors for at least 13 months.
© (1987) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Paul Schissel, Rita M. Goggin, and Yvonne D. Shinton "Durability Of Silvered Polymer Mirrors", Proc. SPIE 0823, Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion VI, (12 November 1987); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.941897
Lens.org Logo
CITATIONS
Cited by 1 scholarly publication.
Advertisement
Advertisement
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission  Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace
KEYWORDS
Polymers

Mirrors

Polymer thin films

Reflectivity

Glasses

Silver

Aluminum

RELATED CONTENT

Specularity and Stability of Silvered Polymers
Proceedings of SPIE (December 02 1985)
Specular Reflectance Properties Of Silvered Polymer Materials
Proceedings of SPIE (February 23 1987)
Polymer Glazings for Silver Mirrors
Proceedings of SPIE (December 02 1985)

Back to Top