Glass Materials

Glass materials have a random, liquid-like (non-crystalline) molecular structure. They are heated to a temperature sufficient to produce a completely fused melt. Raw material for glass includes cullet (crushed, recycled glass), sand, soda ash, limestone, and additives. Glass materials are used in the production of crystallized glass panel and glass mosaic tiles. Embedded glass is a glass material embedded with wire for resistance heating or reinforcement. Tempered glass provides increased strength and can shatter into small pieces when broken. Borosilicate glass offers superior durability, chemical, and heat resistance, which make it suitable for use in chemical processes, in the pharmaceutical industry, in high-powered lamps, for cookware and other heat-resistant products. Soda lime glass is used in everyday products such as bottles, jars, drinking glasses, and window glass. Lead glass (also called lead-alkali glass) has a high percentage of lead oxide (at least 20%) to increase its index of refraction. Lead glass is relatively soft, a better electrical insulator than soda-lime or borosilicate glass, and used for optical applications such as prisms and lenses. Electronic glass is used in fabricating electronic components such as X-ray tubes, display devices, and chip components. Opal glass is used to diffuse light uniformly. Fused silica glass has excellent resistance to thermal shock, withstands high operating temperatures (1,200° C for short periods), and is used in optical waveguides and crucibles for growing crystals.

At ordinary temperatures, glass materials are relatively strong, inert, biologically inactive, and corrosion resistant. Glass material is an excellent thermal insulator. Glass is also an excellent electrical insulator and has high dielectric strength. In the fabrication of glass materials, the properties of glass can be greatly modified by additives or heat treatment.

Several organizations maintain standards for glass materials. ASTM International (formerly called the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Technical Committee C14 on Glass and Glass Products maintains several standards, such as ASTM E708-79(1999) Standard Specification for Waste Glass as a Raw Material for the Manufacture of Glass Containers. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) supports Technical Committees on glass materials, including TC 48 on quality of glassware and TC 160 on glass in building.

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Part Numbers for Glass Materials