NxLite™ Unveils L80, the Industry’s First Low-E Sputter Coating for Polycarbonate and Acrylic Enabling New Window Applications

CANTON, Mich. — NxLite™ today announced the commercial launch of NxLite L80, the industry’s first low-emissivity (low-E) sputter coating that can be applied to polycarbonate and acrylic sheets. NxLite L80 can also be coated on glass as thin as 0.5mm, enabling customers to integrate advanced energy-saving features into products including windows, secondary glazing, commercial refrigeration, and vehicles.

Unlike other sputter coatings, NxLite L80 can be used in monolithic applications—removing a long-standing technological barrier for manufacturers. This breakthrough means low-E performance is no longer limited to sealed insulated glass units (IGUs), opening the door to entirely new product categories.

“NxLite L80 represents a paradigm shift in what’s possible with energy-efficient glazing. For the first time, manufacturers can apply high-performance low-E coatings to lightweight polymeric substrates and ultra-thin glass, enabling new applications that were previously impossible.”

— David Mather, CEO and Chairman of NxLite

NxLite L80 offers an improved U-value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) compared to competing pyrolytic or ITO-based coatings, resulting in greater year-round insulation and energy savings. The coating maintains excellent visible light transmission while dramatically reducing heat transfer through the glazing.

The L80 is the first product in a range of next-generation coatings from NxLite’s Advanced Innovation & Manufacturing (AIM) Center in Canton, Michigan. Each coating in the series will be optimized for specific performance characteristics and application requirements.

NxLite’s proprietary coating technology is manufactured at its 45,000-square-foot AIM Center, which houses state-of-the-art nano-coating production lines and a materials science research and development center of excellence.