NIR-blocking plastic

[MacGyverS2000]

This seems like the best forum for this...

Looking for a (preferably US) supplier of near-infrared blocking plastic, particularly in the 1-1.1um range. So far, everything I've found has been listed as a specialized item for blocking of fiber/YAG laser beams... which is fine, but I would prefer not to pay $150/square foot for something I may be able to get for 1/10th the price simply because it was marketed towards a specific use. If that's the best I can expect, though, feel free to tell me that.


Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Should have added... it should be transparent to at least some portion of the visible spectrum. Color doesn't really mater.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Demon3]

I just read a patent about using phlogopite mica to improve laser scorability of plastics this morning. You can get US 8967 659 free here:

http://worldwide.espacenet.com/

Note, I work for a company that sells that kind of mica as part of my job so that's how I heard of the patent. Adding that to a plastic is way, way cheaper than what you described.

Chris DeArmitt PhD
President - Phantom Plastics LLC

Trusted adviser to leading companies around the world

http://www.phantomplastics.com

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Thanks, Demon, but I'm hoping for COTS stuff in sheet form... not looking for the dyes of raw pellets. I should have been more clear (no pun intended).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[btrueblood]

Mac,

For laser shielding/safety purposes (i.e. part must meet some standard)? Pay the money.

Tricky problem, as no material really absorbs well in that range, other than some fairly weird dyes, or purpose-made coated glass filters.

...maybe PVA would work, if kept wet. This seems to corroborate:

http://www.google.com/patents/EP0989419B1?cl=en

..EVA too,

http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=10469

PE and PMMA both have weak absorption lines around 1.1-1.3 mu-m, you could try multiple thin layers of these.

Some PET bottles may be blown from material with a fair amount of near-IR absorbing materials, given this patent:

http://www.google.com/patents/WO1998008895A1?cl=en

Finally, there are low-e glasses out there, with coatings for low infrared transmission, but most of the curves I could find only just start at 1 micron.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

That's what I feared. I know the stuff that's out there is created with NIR-absorbing dyes, but I was hoping someone made it without jacking up the price to insane amounts. Literally, that stuff is $150/square foot, +/-... insane pricing.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[btrueblood]

What are you trying to do - shield a laser for a commercial product? Pass UL/CE testing?

 

[btrueblood]

Mac,

One suggestion that might work is a nitrocellulose plastic (old style 35mm film stock), the N-H (about 1 micrometer) and C-N (about 1.3 micrometer) bonds apparently resonate in overtones and absorb weakly in the region of interest. 2nd problem is, it's flammable as heck - nitrocellulose is also known as guncotton, and is a primary component in modern smokeless gunpowders...which is why I didn't mention it before.

Probably more than you really wanted to know.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

bt, laser shielding, yes, but not for a commercial product (per se). I need to put together several work cells, and it would be REALLY nice to have laser-safe windows looking into the area... making the entire cell shielding out of the plastic would be awesome, but I'll settle for large windows in a solid structure. I just can't bring myself to pay those prices, and if I could get it cheap I could go much bigger.

And one can never have too much info...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Demon3]

Also try a search for Permanix, a new range of IR blocking products.

Chris DeArmitt PhD
President - Phantom Plastics LLC

Trusted adviser to leading companies around the world

http://www.phantomplastics.com

 

[MacGyverS2000]

The additive sounds great, Chris... but do you know of anyone who is selling it already added to an acrylic in sheet form?

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Demon3]

I think it's either a powder or masterbatch.

Some info here...

http://www.ptonline.com/articles/novel-permanent-uv-absorber-for-plastics

Any number of compounders would be happy to mix it in for you.

The inventor is Joe Webster at

http://www.stabilization-technologies.com

if you want direct contact.

Chris DeArmitt PhD
President - Phantom Plastics LLC

Trusted adviser to leading companies around the world

http://www.phantomplastics.com

 

[btrueblood]

From the curves shown, it looks like it absorbs more in visible wavelengths than in IR...i.e. it will be opaque to visible light, and slightly less opaque to IR. Might as well use aluminum foil? :/

 

[Demon3]

That was old information, there are new IR tailored grades I understand.

Chris DeArmitt PhD
President - Phantom Plastics LLC

Trusted adviser to leading companies around the world

http://www.phantomplastics.com

 

[btrueblood]

Ah, ok Chris.