The Infrared Emittance Of Semi-Transparent Materials Measured At Cold Temperatures

The infrared emittance of semi-transparent glazing materials used in passive solar building construction was measured over the temperature range -5.6°C to +15°C at 2 - 5.6 μm wavelength. A table of measured apparent emittance values is presented. Absolute values of emittance are not provided due to the conclusion that no adequate model describing three-dimensional emittance in terms of thickness, rectilinear transmittance, and broadband detector sensitivity has yet been formulated. A rough rule-of-thumb for thermographers appears to be that a high emittance value can be assumed for most thick sheets of these materials but the emittance of thin films drops rapidly below a certain critical thickness.