Glass

Glass:-
The term glass signifies an inorganic product of fusion that has been cooled to a rigid condition without
crystallization containing chiefly silica and some other selected compounds.
Glass is a combination of sand and other minerals that are melted together at very high temperatures to form a
material that is ideal for a wide range of uses from packaging and construction to fiber optics. A form of glass
occurs naturally within the mouth of a volcano when the intense heat of an eruption melts sand to form
Obsidian, a hard black glassy type of stone. Today man has lots of technologies for the glass-making process
and can make many different types of glass in infinitely varied colours formed into a wide range of products.
Glass, chemically, is actually more like a liquid, but at room temperature it is so viscous or sticky it looks and
feels like a solid. At higher temperatures glass gradually becomes softer and more like a liquid. It is this latter
property, which allows glass to be poured, blown, pressed and moulded into such a variety of shapes

Properties of glass:-
 Glass has quite high tensile strength. In very fine wire drawn from molten glass may show tensile
strength of 105 Kg/Sq cm through ordinary thread have 700 to 1400 Kg/sq cm, modulus of elasticity is
also high. These properties however show great variation depending upon composition of glass and
method of manufacture.
 Glass has low ductility, low conductivity and low coefficient of thermal expansion.
 Glasses are resistance to acids and many other chemical hence are ideal material for storage of
chemical.
 Glass is very good electrical insulator.
 Have very high softening point and can be used at high temperature.
 It is corrosive resistance and high workability.
 It is good in compression compared with its tension.
 It is poor in resisting shock and impact stress.

Classification of Glass:-
1. Based on predominant chemical composition(manufacturing types):-
a. Soda Lime glass(soft glass):-
SiO2 – 71 to 74% , Na2O – 13 to 17 % , CaO – 5 to 14 %, used for window panes, plate glass, light bulb and
containers.
b. Lead glass (Flint glass):-
SiO2 – 67 to 73% , PbO- 15 to 30%, K2O – 4 to 7 %, Na2O – 9 to 12 %. It posses bright luster and very high
refractive power. It is manufactured for making shield for protection against radiation of different types. It is
also used for optical instrument like lens, prism , mirrors etc.
c. Borosilicate glass:-
B2O3 – 5 to 20 %. Its general utilized glass is also known as Pyrex as trade name contains Al2O3 – 2%, Na2O –
4% and B2O3 – 12%. It is used as cooking utensils, laboratory ware, and piping.
d. Aluminum Silicate glass:-
It contains Al of 20%.
e. High silica glass (Quartz) :-
About 96%
f. Potassium lime glass (Hard glass):-
Mixture of potassium silicate and calcium silicate. It is hard and able to resist the impact better. It is used for
high class window, door glass panes, partition glass panel.
g. Common glass:-
Mixture of sodium silicate, calcium silicate and iron silicate. It is soft glass but colored. It is able to resist
chemical action better. It is used as bottle, and medicine bottle.

2. Commercial form of glass:-

a. Sheet glass:-
Being in the form of thin sheet, it tends to distort and is inferior to plate glass. It is available in various
thickness and size. It is used for glazing doors, windows and partition generally available in 2 to 6.5mm
thickness.
 Glass
b. Plate glass:-
It is stronger and more transparent than sheet glass. It is of better appearance and of negligible distortion vision.
It is also available in various thickness and size. It is generally used in cabinets, show cases, shop fronts,
counters, shelves, minor and superior quality works.
c. Laminated glass:-
It is the combination of two or more glass plates with inverting layers of transparent plastic under the effect of
heat and pressure. Sometimes third layer like asphalt rubber or resign also made a part of the lamination glass.
This type of glass does not fly off in splinter when if breaks (shattering resistance) so it is also called safety
glass. It is shock resistance too. Hence is generally used for the windows of vehicles.
d. Wired glass:-
It is made by putting wire mesh in the glass while manufacturing of it. It provides safety in breakage as the wire
mesh holds the broken pieces together and is fire retardant. It is used in the places where both light and safety
are simultaneously required.
e. Bullet resistance glass:-
Variety of laminated glasses which is made by pressing together several layers of glass and vinyl resign in
alternating layer thickness 12 mm to 75 mm or more.
f. Insulating glass:-
Two glass sheets are combined in such a way that a dehydrated air gap of 6 mm to 12mm is sealed between
them and provide heat insulation ensuring transmission of light is known as Insulating glass.
g. Colored glass:-
By adding oxide of metal into the wire glass during manufacturing, finished product get colored, Color glasses
are use for decoration work in building construction. They may also be used to cut of direct sunlight.
h. Tempered glass:-
Glass plate is heated and suddenly cooled to temper it. Tempered glass is much stronger than ordinary glass.
When broken, it disrupts into innumerable small fragments more or less cubic in shape. It is used as wind screen
of vehicles.
i. Ground glass or Obscured glass:-
It is made either by grinding one side or glass or meeting powered glass upon it. This glass is used where light
is required without transparency. It is mostly used for public toilets, office door, partition etc.
j. Figured glass:-
It is a glass which has rough surface on one side. It is used to secure privacy without obstruction of light. This is
also a variety of obscure glass and is used for toilet, ventilation etc.