What is the One-way Glass?
One-way glass, as the name suggests, can only see in one direction. It is also called mirror glass, one-way mirror, single-eye glass, etc. This kind of glass has a high reflectance ratio for visible light. When using it, we need to pay attention to that the reflective surface must be the light-facing surface. As monitors, we need to stand in the direction of the observation surface.This kind of glass not only has multiple applications in life, but also makes many contributions in the fields of art or technology.Next, we will introduce the basic knowledge and production process of one-way glass, and also explain the installation procedures and identification methods.
Origin of One-way Glass
One-way glass originated in the United States. In 1903, Emil Bloch invented the patent. He coated the back of the glass with silver. The surface of the glass was opaque under ordinary light, but it flashed with strong light behind it. is transparent. He also sandwiched the poster between glass and light. When the light shines on the poster, the poster will be fully revealed, including the display of color and outline; when the light is turned off, the glass will look like an ordinary mirror.
Producing One-way Glass
When making one-way glass, a very thin layer of metallic reflective coating is usually applied to the glass surface. This coating surface is called a semi-silvered surface. It can make half of the mirror opaque because it can reflect half of it. of light. So in fact there is no real one-way mirror. A one-way mirror can only be effective when the light on both sides of the mirror forms a sharp contrast between light and dark.
Classification
One-way glass can be divided into two categories according to different needs: one is ordinary one-way glass with a thickness of 5-6cm, and the other is explosion-proof one-way glass with a thickness of 10-12cm. This type of one-way glass is the most visible It is characterized by its high explosion-proof function, which can better protect people's safety. It is also a mainstream product in the mass market.
Applications of One-way Glass
Because of the particularity of one-way perspective, one-way glass is generally used in hidden places, such as public security bureaus, detention centers, prisons, mental hospitals, nuclear power plants, confidential departments and other places. Or use it in rooms, bathrooms and other private spaces at home. Use in these areas can ensure good privacy and information security.Another method is to use it in scientific laboratories. Through one-way visualization, we can observe the changes of animals and plants, and conduct experimental research and recording, which can ensure that the internal animals and plants are not affected by the outside world.
Derived Applications
A derivative application is one-way window film, which has a mirror effect. Single-layer window film has a layer of reflective metal sandwiched between two layers of transparent film, which allows one side to receive more light than the other side. The window with this film also has a reflective effect. It can protect the scene inside the window. The degree of privacy protection is good.
Therefore, this kind of film is often installed on bathrooms, garage doors and living room windows. When there is sufficient light during the day, we can safely open the curtains and the situation inside cannot be seen clearly from the outside. At the same time, we do not have to worry about the internal space becoming dark. , because the film still lets some light into the room. But we should note that this kind of film can only guarantee privacy during the day. Once the light weakens at night and the lights are turned on in the internal room, there will be no strong reflection effect. At this time, the window will be translucent. You can Enjoy the beautiful night view, but your privacy cannot be protected. Remember to close the curtains in time. Or there is an option to protect privacy at night, which is to install a one-way translucent frosted film so that no one can see the details inside. One-way window privacy film also has the advantage of blocking ultraviolet rays. No one wants to be exposed to the sun while looking at the scenery outside the window, so this film can effectively inhibit ultraviolet rays through an additional ultraviolet solvent layer. More than 90% of ultraviolet rays can be blocked, so that we can enjoy a good time in a room with a comfortable temperature.
Installation Matters
If we want to install one-way glass, take the police station monitoring room as an example：
① Pay attention to the front and back of the one-way glass. The front side is used to reflect light. When installing, the front side should face the direction of the suspect, which is the space to be observed, and the back side should face the observer.
②In movies and TV dramas, we often see that the monitored room is bright, while the control room has weak light. This is because the monitored space must have strong light, and the light intensity must ensure sufficient brightness, so that the reflection effect of the one-way glass can be It will be stronger and the perspective effect will be more obvious. Moreover, the lighting intensity of the monitored room must be much greater than that of the monitoring room. This can ensure that the monitored party looks out like looking in a mirror and cannot see the people and objects outside, while our monitoring party can clearly see what is inside. Condition. If the light intensity in the monitoring room and the monitored room is the same, then people in the monitored room are likely to see people outside, so we must pay attention to the intensity of light lighting.
③In criminal investigation TV dramas, we often see only a small desk lamp placed on the table in the monitoring room. Do you know why this is? The answer is that using point lights can reduce the light source and narrow the lighting range. It is also recommended to install spotlights above and below the glass mirror, which can enhance the overall reflectivity of the one-way glass and improve the one-way perspective effect of the glass.
④For the same reason, ceiling lights are usually not installed in control rooms, which can reduce the presence of other light sources. So if there are windows, only opaque curtains can be installed to ensure the best one-way perspective.
⑤One thing to note is that the actual distance between the monitored person and the one-way glass should be kept at least 0.8-1 meters, so that the one-way perspective effect will be better.
⑥One-way glass is also a special kind of glass. When installing, special attention should be paid to the safety of the mirror. Once damaged, it cannot be repaired.And the reflection effect of light will be greatly weakened when damaged.
How to Identify One-way Perspective Glass
Having said all that, when traveling and staying in a hotel, how can we tell whether the mirror in the room is one-way glass? There are several methods you can try:
① Nail test: This is a common testing method. Usually we touch our nails to the mirror. If our nails are connected to the reflection in the mirror, then unfortunately, the mirror in your room is one-way; otherwise, it is a normal mirror.
②Scratch method: We all know that one-way mirrors are most afraid of scratching the surface. If we can scratch the mirror surface with an object, then it can be determined to be a one-way mirror.
③Illumination method: When we use strong light to illuminate the mirror, if the light does not pass through, then it is an ordinary mirror, and vice versa.
Technical Challenges
Although one-way glass is widely used in various fields, there are still some challenges at the technical level:
①Light is difficult to balance: We know that one-way glass can reflect light because of the reflective coating. We must also grasp the transparency and reflectivity. This requires stable technology to ensure that it can be achieved under different lights. Balance of transparency and reflection.
②Durability: Because of the particularity of one-way glass, we need to always pay attention to the long-term stability and durability.
③Environmental adaptability: Whether at home or in other places, regardless of the temperature or humidity, one-way glass should have good adaptability. Only by taking into account the degree of environmental adaptability can it meet diverse needs.
Ethics and Privacy Issues
Although the use of one-way glass brings some convenience, while protecting our privacy, it can also be easily used by criminals as a tool to infringe on the rights of others. As producers, under moral and ethical standards, we should produce correctly and not If you tamper with the glass, you can't invade other people's privacy. For us users, we should also remember not to be cheap and use inferior glass. We should always pay attention to whether the mirror in the room when traveling is one-way. The more attention, the more safety. We hope that we can ensure transparent and secure privacy protection during the design and use process.
