Vacuum Glass vs. Insulated Glass: Understanding the Differences

ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) is a transparent conductive oxide composed mainly of indium tin oxide, offering high visible light transmittance (typically >85%) and low sheet resistance (can be below 15 Ω/□). FTO (Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide), doped with fluorine in tin oxide, exhibits excellent thermal and chemical stability, making it suitable for high-temperature processing environments. Both are mainstream transparent conductive materials widely used in fields such as photoelectric conversion, display technology, sensors, and catalytic research.

Wide Range of Customizable Thickness:
Available in thicknesses from 0.1 mm to 4 mm. Thinner specifications (e.g., 0.1–0.5 mm) are suitable for flexible devices and microscopic observation scenarios, while thicker specifications (2–4 mm) are more appropriate for experiments requiring high mechanical strength or multi-layer device integration.

Customized Electrode Patterns:
Through processes such as photolithography and laser etching, micron-level precision electrode patterning can be achieved, including interdigitated electrodes, circular electrodes, and complex grid structures. Researchers can design patterns according to experimental circuit requirements, significantly improving device integration and experimental consistency.

Drilling and Geometric Structure Customization:
High-precision drilling at specified positions is supported, with aperture and hole shape flexibly designed according to experimental setup needs. This facilitates the integration of sensors, wires, or fluid channels, optimizing experimental spatial layout and signal transmission efficiency.

Solar Cell Research: Used as transparent electrodes in perovskite, dye-sensitized, and other types of solar cells, requiring high transparency and low resistance.

Photoelectrochemical Detection: Such as photoelectrocatalytic water splitting and environmental pollutant degradation, requiring a balance between conductivity and chemical stability.

Transparent Heating Elements and Electromagnetic Shielding Interfaces: Based on their uniform conductivity and thermal stability, they can be used in device development for special environments.

Biosensors and Microfluidic Chips: Custom electrode patterns can be used for high-sensitivity biological detection and microfluidic system integration.

When evaluating thermal insulation, the U-value (thermal transmittance) is a key metric. A lower U-value indicates better insulation. Remarkably, despite being just over 10 mm thick, vacuum glass achieves a U-value of 0.4–0.6 W/(㎡·K), significantly lower than the best-performing insulated glass (1.5 W/(㎡·K)). This makes vacuum glass 2–4 times more effective at insulation.

ITO conductive glass has become a core material in many cutting-edge research fields due to its excellent photoelectric properties and mature preparation technology. Tailored to different experimental needs, customized ITO/FTO conductive glass can provide matching thickness, electrode configuration, and geometric features, significantly enhancing the flexibility of experimental design and the reliability of data. Rational selection and customization of such materials can help researchers achieve more precise and efficient experimental goals in fields such as photoelectronics, energy, and sensing.