Glass Composition, Glass Types

 
Related sites: Glass Properties on
GlobalSpec, GlassOnWeb, MatWeb, Glass Global
 

A general overview about glass art, history, science, literature, social studies,
and technology is available at the Corning Museum of Glass (view as PDF,
1.8 MB). Schott research and development summarized their physical and
technical glass properties (1.5 MB). Numerous industrial glass compositions
and their properties are included in the "High temperature glass melt property
database for process modeling".

The glass compositions on this website are given in molar percent (mol%).
For conversions from mol% to percent by weight (wt%) a composition
converter (Excel, 28 kB) can be used.

Soda-lime glass composition (containers, float glass e.g. for

windows), mol%
  Typical container Typical float Approximate limits
glass glass
SiO2 74.42 71.86 63-81
Al2O3 0.75 0.08 0-2
MgO 0.30 5.64 0-6
CaO 11.27 9.23 7-14
Li2O 0.00 0.00 0-2
Na2O 12.9 13.13 9-15
K2O 0.19 0.02 0-1.5
Fe2O3 0.01 0.04 0-0.6
Cr2O3 0.00 0.00 0-0.2
MnO2 0.00 0.00 0-0.2
Co3O4 0.00 0.00 0-0.1
TiO2 0.01 0.01 0-0.8
SO3 0.16 0.00 0-0.2
Se 0.00 0.00 0-0.1

E, D, R borosilicate glass compositions (textile fiber)

Approximate E glass composition in mol%:
  Typical E Approximate
 glass limits
SiO2 56.99 43-74
B2O3 6.12 0-8.5
Al2O3 8.78 6-10
MgO 6.50 0.5-9
CaO 19.64 15-28
Na2O 0.61 0-2.5
K2O 0.00 0-0.5
Fe2O3 0.13 0-0.3
TiO2 0.44 0-1
F 0.70 0-2
E-, R-, and D-glass properties (from Saint-Gobain Vetrotex) (0.1 MB)
 
TV panel glass composition, in mol%
  Typical TV panel Approximate limits
glass
SiO2 71.93 62-85
Al2O3 1.42 0.5-2.5
MgO 0.00 0-2.7
CaO 0.06 0-4.5
SrO 6.23 0.5-7.5
BaO 4.23 0.5-6.5
Li2O 0.02 0-1.5
Na2O 8.66 6-11
K2O 5.63 4-7
Fe2O3 0.02 0-0.02
TiO2 0.38 0-0.5
CeO2 0.11 0-0.3
ZrO2 0.79 0-2
PbO 0.00 0-1
ZnO 0.44 0-1.5
As2O3 0.00 0-0.1
Sb2O3 0.07 0-0.2
F 0.00 0-3
 
Further borosilicate glass compositions
Low expansion borosilicate glass, e.g. Pyrex  TM, Kimax  TM, Duran  TM,
or Jenaer Glas  TM, approximate glass composition in mol%:
  Typical low expansion borosilicate Approximate
glass limits
SiO2 83.34 65-85
B2O3 11.19 8-15
Al2O3 1.33 1-5
 CaO 0.03 0-2.5
Na2O 4.08 3-9
K2O 0.04 0-2
BaO 0.00 0-1
 

Fiber wool borosilicate glass, approximate composition in mol%:

  Typical fiber wool borosilicate Approximate
glass limits
SiO2 63.51 50-78
B2O3 2.89 2.5-9
Al2O3 2.92 0-4
MgO 5.22 1.5-8
CaO 8.97 5-15
Na2O 15.70 12-18
K2O 0.54 0-1.5
Fe2O3 0.12 0-0.3
F 0.00 0-2.5
SO3 0.13 0-0.2
 
Alkali-free glass compositions
Flat panel displays, example glass composition in mol%:
SiO2: 70
B2O3: 10
Al2O3: 10
CaO: 6
SrO: 3
BaO: 1
 

Solid oxide fuel cell glass-ceramic seal, example glass composition in mol
% [1]:
SiO2: 35.0
B2O3: 9.4
BaO: 35.8
CaO: 12.6
MgO: 0.9
Al2O3: 5.2
ZrO2: 1.2
 
Fused silica
Fused silica glass is pure silicon dioxide (100% SiO2) in the non-crystalline
state. It is very difficult to fabricate, so it is the most expensive of all glasses.
It can sustain operating temperatures up to 1200oC for short periods.
 
Lead glass composition
Alkali-free lead glasses for electrical applications, example glass
composition in mol% [2]:
SiO2: 62.9
B2O3: 13.6
Al2O3: 2.6
MgO: 10.3
ZrO2: 2.1
PbO: 8.5
 

Lead glasses for art work (crystal glass), approximate glass composition in

mol%:
PbO: > 8
...
 

Lead glasses for thermometer tubing, approximate glass composition in mol

%: