Glass Types

TYPES OF GLASS.

Despite the fact that a typical man in the street may see no difference between the glass used at the grocery store and at his house, there exist some difference between these two kinds of glasses. Case in point, you may think that a table glass is one and the same with a typical wine or window glass – until you test their fragility. For one, you will learn that the break point is utterly different, be it using heat, pressure or force. So, what this means is that there are different types of glass, each of which happens to have different break points. So, with that, what are some of the various types?

FLAT GLASS

This is used primarily in windows. Moreover, you may find this also in mirrors, room dividers and at times in some household furniture. Usually, most of the flat is made in the form of flat sheets. Nonetheless, you may at times find that some of these may be made via a more sophisticated mechanism, the likes of automobile windshields which have to be reheated then curved over molds. This gives a totally different appearance as well as texture from a primary household window.

GLASS CONTAINERS

These are usually used in packaging food. They may be used in other functions like packaging medicine, cosmetics or even chemicals. Usually, these are actually made in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, making them all the more distinct and variant from other types. Moreover, you may find these being used in other common uses like as drinking bottles. In some extreme cases, you will realize that some are made from expert chemical formula to make sure that these are free of any contamination or deterioration of blood plasma and other chemicals which may be stored on them.

OPTICAL GLASS

This is used in high level applications such as optical lenses, eyeglasses, telescopes and other types of laboratory equipment’s. In such a case, the raw material has to be at all times pure so that the glass which will result from the process will be utterly flawless on the long run. Thus, this usually makes making these glasses more expensive, since the overall care required is highly demanding.

FIBERGLASS

Usually, this consists of fine but solid rods of glass, most of which are nothing more than a twentieth of the width of the human hair. Moreover, fiberglass may be packed to assume some sort of a wool like appearance which can serve a great role as a heat insulator. Moreover, these find themselves useful in other applications such as wool or cotton fiber in the construction of mats or yarn. Other real life applications are the construction of firefighter suits, owing to their insulating factor. Moreover, it may be used as a curtain material since it is very easy to clean as well as being fire-resistant.

LAMINATED SAFETY GLASS

These are simple made as some sort of a sandwich. What this means is that they are made from a combination of alternate layers of flat glass and plastic. So, how is this important? Usually the outer layer may easily break when struck but the elastic plastic layer can also be able to stretch on its own. So, the plastic will be serving the role of holding the broken pieces together – a good example being in automobile windshields where the flying glass particles may cause considerable damage in the event of an accident. This is also preferred by architects for expansive glass doors or openings.

BULLET RESISTING GLASS

Basically, this is none other than a highly and thick multi-layer laminated glasses. Unequivocally, this is able to stop even high caliber bullet at close range. Usually, the glass itself is heavy enough to absorb the energy of the bullet, while the plastic serves the role of holding the pieces onto one another. Good applications of these type of glasses is in banks teller windows as well as in military vehicles such as tanks and other special automobiles.

TEMPERED SAFETY GLASS

Opposed to the laminated glass, this specific type has been given a considerable amount of special heat treatment. Despite the fact that it may look, weigh and feel the same as ordinary glasses, it actually happens to be several times heavier than normal glasses. Most of the applications of this type of glasses in glass doors and rear windows of automobiles. Usually, this is way hard to break, even when hit with something like a mattock or hammer – but collapses into thousands of small particles if it breaks.

COLORED STRUCTURAL GLASS

This is usually heavy plate glasses which may be available in a number of colors. In buildings, it may be used as an interior facing but may also be used for interior walls or as tabletops.

OPAL GLASS

This is the kind of glass which will actually appear milky. Usually, this is made possible by the presence of small particles which are contained in it, dispersing light and hence making it possible to disperse the light. Usually, there are a number of ingredients which will be needed to produce opal glasses and these include fluorides. Usually, you may find this more often in tableware and at times in lighting fixtures.

FOAM GLASS

In appearance, when this is cut, it appears as some sort of a honeycomb. Within it, there are numerous cells of gas. Then again, each and every cell is actually separated from the other cells using a thin wall of glass. Another appealing feature of this glass is that it is so light to the point that it actually floats on water. The most common application of this glass is in buildings and on chemical equipment. Moreover, foam saw may easily be cut into various shapes using a saw easily.

GLASS BUILDING BLOCKS

Usually, these are made of two hollow half-sections which are sealed together at high temperatures. Usually, you will find these to be most useful since the dead space within them. Usually, the blocks are laid like bricks so as to make walls as well as other types of structures.

HEAT RESISTANT GLASS

Usually, this is rich in silica and does contain traces of boric oxide. Owing to the fact that this does expand little when heated, it can actually withstand higher temperatures when heated and hence not crack easily. This thus makes it necessary in cookware and other household equipment as well as many types of industrial gear equipment where the likes of furnaces are more prominent.

LABORATORY GLASSWARE

These actually include breakers, flasks as well as other types of special laboratory equipment. This is also made from heat resistant glasses so as to be able to endure extreme and rapid temperature changes – heat shock. Moreover, this is resistant to corrosion and other forms of chemical attacks than normal glasses.

GLASS FOR ELECTRICAL USE

Since glass has features such as useful heat resistance and resistance to flow of electricity, it is ideal for use in electrical applications. Moreover, glasses can easily be used to seal tightly onto metals without breaking – electric light bulbs are good examples. As such, from these qualities, they can be used for other electrical applications or even picture tubes for television sets.

GLASS OPTICAL FIBERS

These are the current networking option for the transmission of information in the form of electric pulses. For instance, thin and pure optic fibers will be used to carry TV signals over long distances. Moreover, these are also used in control board displays and other medical instruments.

GLASS TUBING

This is what you see in the neon lights and other types of lights around you every day. The best examples where glass tubing may be made include fluorescent lights and neon lights among other application.

GLASS CERAMICS

These are nothing but strong materials which are made by heating glasses to simply rearrange the atoms into regular patterns. Usually, the resultant partially crystalline materials are able to withstand high temperatures, abrupt temperature changes and adverse chemical attacks much better than ordinary glasses. Thus, this makes them most suitable in the likes of turbine engines and nose cones of guided missiles.

RADIATION-ABSORBING AND RADIATION-TRANSMITTING GLASS

Normally, these glasses can be able to transmit, modify or block radiant heat energies such as x-rays. Case in point, ultraviolet glasses does absorb ultraviolet rays of the sun, but transmits visible light. Another good example is the use of polarized glasses to help in cutting the glare of brilliant light. Nonetheless, there is a special manner in which glasses can be coated so that an observer from the interior of a house can actually see those outside without being seen.

LASER GLASS

This is but a special type of glass which makes it possible to generate laser beams efficiently. Usually, this is used more as an important active additive in solid-state lasers – lasers which actually send light out through crystal or glass. Moreover, you have to know that there has been an increase in the use of this set of windows specifically. A good example of the application is when powerful glass lasers heat hydrogen atoms till hydrogen nuclei actually fuse, releasing quantifiable amounts of energy.

INVISIBLE GLASS

Usually, this is used for coated camera and eyeglasses, the coating is simply a small coating which decreases the normal light loss via reflection. As such, more and more light passes through, leading to the formation of way better images.