GCE6202

Glass Science and Technology I

ASSIGNMENT
ON
DESIGNING GORILLA GLASS

Name: S.A.M. SABBIR AHASAN Supervised By: ABDUS SALAM

Roll: 0421172007 Part-Time Teacher,
Department: Glass and Ceramic Department of Glass and Ceramic
Engineering, BUET Engineering, BUET
042
Assignment: "Design a glass composition that you think near to that of Gorilla
Touch Glass, considering various properties such as ultra-thinness, ultra-strength, high
scratch resistance, high hardness, ion exchange strengthening, oil and water
resistance, anti-glaring coating, liquidus temperature, expansion coefficient, glass
transition temperature, softening temperature, annealing temperature, chemical
durability etc.
Write what parameters you considered and how it contributed to your thought."

Introduction:
Glass is a solid-like and transparent material that is used in numerous applications in
our daily lives. Glass is made from natural and abundant raw materials (sand, soda ash
and limestone) that are melted at very high temperature to form a new material: glass.
At high temperature glass is structurally similar to liquids, however at ambient
temperature it behaves like solids. As a result, glass can be poured, blown, press and
moulded into plenty of shapes. Glass is a widely used material at present days. There
are some special glasses manufactured for very special use, such as, Gorilla Glass for
portable electronic device screen.

Objective:
Our objective is to design a composition that may produce a glass near to that of Gorilla
Glass for mobile screen considering various properties such as ultra-thinness, ultra-
strength, high scratch resistance, high hardness, ion exchange strengthening, oil and
water resistance, anti-glaring coating, liquidus temperature, expansion coefficient, glass
transition temperature, softening temperature, annealing temperature, chemical
durability etc.

Precision:
The glass should have the below properties:
1. Ultra thinness: Approx. 0.5 mm
2. Ultra strength: Approx. 0.7 MPa flexural strength
3. High hardness: Approx. 700 kgf/mm2
4. Ion exchange strengthening: Approx. 800 MPa compressive stress
5. Density: 2.53 g/cm3
6. Co-efficient of Thermal Expansion(0-300 °C): 42 x 10-7 /°C
7. Refractive Index: 1.534
 Viscosity VS Temperature
16

14 Strain Point, 670 °C

Viscosity 10^ Pa-s

12 Annealing Point, 715 °C

10 Tg , 750 °C

8 Softening Point, 915 °C

6
Flow Point, 1090 °C
4 Liquidus Temperature,
2 1430 °C
0
600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500

Temperature, °C

Composition:
Sl. No. Materials %
1 SiO2 56.5
2 Na2O 1.0
3 CaO 5.5
4 MgO 12.0
5 B2O3 4.0
6 Al2O3 20.5
7 NaCl 0.5
Total 100.0
1. Quartz for SiO2:
SiO2 is selected as the main glass former as it gives better strength to the glass
structure. Again to get Silica we will use pure form of Quartz instead of Silica sand to
avoid the impurities.
2. B2O3:
 Borax, B2O3 is selected to Increase thermal shock resistance, lower
thermal expansion, making the glass more resistant to heat, increase mechanical
strength, improve chemical durability, decrease the tendency to crystallize, improve
scratching hardness etc.
As glass former we will not use the Arsenic or Lead as these are toxic and usage
of these are hazardous.
3. CaO and MgO:
Calcium, CaO, is selected as a stabilizer that improves the quality and physical
appearance of the glass. Magnesium, MgO, is selected as it offers good strength to
weight ratio and very good corrosion resistance.
4. Al2O3:
Alumina is selected as it gives stability to the glass and more importantly it gives
very good strength to the glass structure. Using this material, the glass becomes
mechanically more strong.
It also increases the density of the glass.
5. Na2O:
Soda, Na2O, is selected as the flux to reduce the melting temperature and we will
get it from NaOH. It also helps the glass to get shaped. It is also needed for the ion-
exchange operation to strengthen the glass at its extreme.
6. Refining agent:
We will use Sodium Chloride, NaCl, as the refining agent. We will avoid
Sulphates, Nitrates, Fluorides not to impart any toxicity.

Batch Calculation:
As this is a very special kind of glass, we will consider the pure raw-materials only.

a. Dolomite (CaCO3.MgCO3):
1 kg CaO is provided by 3.29 kg Dolomite
So, 5.5 kg CaO is provided by (3.29X5.5) = 18.095 kg Dolomite
Now, 18.095 kg Dolomite also provides, (18.095X0.218) = 3.945 kg MgO

b. Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO3):

The remaining amount of MgO = (12 – 3.945) kg = 8.055 kg
Now, 8.055 kg MgO will be provided by (8.055X2.1) kg = 16.9155 kg MgCO 3
 c. Boric Acid (B2O3.3H2O):
4 kg B2O3 is provided by (4X1.78) kg = 7.12 kg Boric Acid (B 2O3.3H2O)

d. Aluminium Hydroxide (Al2O3.3H2O):

20.5 kg Al2O3 is provided by (20.5X1.53) kg
= 31.365 kg Aluminium Hydroxide (Al2O3.3H2O)

e. Soda Ash (Na2CO3):

1 kg Na2O is provided by 1.71 kg Na2CO3

f. Quartz (SiO2):
56.5 kg SiO2 is provided by 56.5 kg Quartz

g. Sea Salt (NaCl):

0.5 Kg NaCl is provided by 0.5 Kg Sea Salt.

Final Recipe For the Batch

1 Quartz 56.500 kg
2 Soda Ash 1.710 kg
3 Aluminium Hydroxide 31.365 kg
4 Boric Acid 7.120 kg
5 Magnesium Carbonate 19.916 kg
6 Dolomite 3.945 kg
7 Sea Salt 0.500 Kg
TOTAL 121.056 kg
Manufacturing Process:
Process flow diagram of Toughened Glass as Gorilla Glass:

Raw Materials 2. Batch

3. Batch Melting
Collection Preparation

6. Ion-exchanging 4. Fusion Draw

5. Cutting
and annealing Process

7. Antiglare 9. Sorting &

8. Sizing Packing
coating

11. Shipping 10. Storing

1. Raw material collection:

Raw materials should be collected from the raw material bin and brought to the batch
plant. The cullet should be washed and dried before charging to the furnace.
2. Batch preparation:
The raw materials should be weighed according to the batch recipe and then charge
one after another into the furnace.
3. Batch melting:
The fresh materials then melted at a temperature over 1200˚C The molten glass is
homogenized and conditioned before it is released to the next step.

4. Fusion draw process:

The molten glass is homogenized and conditioned before it is released into a large
collection trough with a V-shaped bottom, known as an isopipe. The isopipe is carefully
heated to manage the viscosity of the mixture and ensure uniform flow.

Molten glass flows evenly over the top edges of the isopipe, forming two thin, sheet-like
streams along the outer surfaces. The two sheets meet at the V-shaped bottom point of
the isopipe and fuse into a single sheet.
 5. Cutting:
The sheet, still attached to the bottom of the isopipe, then feeds into drawing equipment
as it lengthens and begins to cool in midair. Precise control of fusion process conditions
impact key product attributes like glass thickness.

The sheet is carefully cooled and stabilized until it reaches the bottom of the draw,
where it is cut and moved to the next process

6. Ion-exchanging and annealing:

After the fusion draw process, the glass sheets are placed in a 400˚C molten Potassium
Salt bath. There the Chemical tempering takes place and strengthens the glass by
putting the surface of the glass into compression by “stuffing” larger sized ions into the
glass surface. During chemical tempering process, the glass is submersed in a bath of
molten salt at prescribed temperatures. The heat causes the smaller ions to leave the
surface of the glass and larger ions present in the molten salts to enter it. Once the
glass is removed from the bath and cooled, they shrink. The larger ions that are now
present in the surface of the lens are crowded together. This creates a compressed
surface, which results in stronger glass that is more resistant to breakage.
7. Antiglare coating:
Then a coating is done to prevent the light reflecting directly from the glass rather
scattering it in different directions. For this reason, it is easy to see the screen in more
light or even in the sun light.
8. Sizing:
The sheet of the glass is cut according to different sizes required.
9. Sorting & Packing:
The small sized glass then sorted and packed.
10. Storing:
The packed glass is stored.
11. Shipping:
The packed glass then shipped on demand.

Conclusion:
Almost in every Electronics where a display is present Gorilla glass is being used. This
type of glass has changed our vision towards glass technology and development.
Gorilla Glass is a scratch-resistant and durable glass product from Corning that is used
to protect the screens of tablets, smartphone and other mobile devices. The glass is
lightweight, strong and compatible with touch screen technologies. As a result of its
strength, screens made of Gorilla Glass can be very thin. Gorilla Glass was first
implemented in a mobile device screen in 2007, in the original iPhone. Related products
from Corning include Lotus Glass and Willow Glass. Gorilla Glass is fully recyclable and
is compliant with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive.