Safety glass is glass that has been created with features that prevent it from easily breaking. There are toughened glass, also called tempered glass, wire mesh glass or wired glass, and laminated glass. You can combine the three approaches of toughened, laminated and wire mesh glass but wire mesh is not typically combined with other approaches. Safety glass has evolved over the years to work more efficiently and to offer consumers different types for different needs. Here is a look at the different types of safety glass, what they are used for and how safety glass has transformed over the years.
Types of Safety Glass
The main types of safety glass include toughened glass, laminated glass and wire mesh glass. Toughened glass is treated by chemical treatments or controlled thermal treatments to make it stronger than regular glass. Laminated glass has layers of toughened glass and plastic that if broke would remain intact by an inter-layer between the layers of bonded glass. When it’s broken, it will look like a spider web.
What Safety Glass Is Used For
Toughened glass is used for shower doors, passenger windows in vehicles, bulletproof glass, plates and cookware. Laminated glass is commonly used when there is a chance of human impact where the glass may fall if shattered. This means you’ll see laminated glass used for hurricane-resistant construction, on windows, in storefronts, for windshields in your car, on eyewear, skylights and more. In addition to offering protection, laminate safety glass will block out around 97% of UV radiation which makes it perfect for sun protection. Wired glass is intended for fire-resistance because it can handle heat and hose streams. It’s going to be used on service elevators and in institutional settings.
A new trend that many are finding a good use for safety glass is in pool walls. Rather than a typical frame that encloses the pool, many are using glass walls for a frameless look. There are companies that manufacture and supply pool fences and railing systems using safety glass. Not only will it enhance the design but it looks beautiful and sophisticated to frame your pool area in glass. These types of fences use tempered or laminated safety glass and marine grade stainless steel. Aquaview says this type of glass is perfect for pools and spas because they are resistant to corrosion and won’t deteriorate from hot and cold temperatures.
Transformed Over the Years
Safety glass has transformed over the years. In 2014, a new type of safety glass was created called engraved glass. Researchers engraved networks of wavy 3D cracks in glass microscope slides by using lasers to creating an analogue of nacre. They put impact on the slides and found that the micro-cracks had absorbed and dispersed energy which kept the glass from shattering. This type of glass is 200 times stronger than untreated glass.
In its various forms, safety glass is used for all types of purposes in daily life. It’s used in your eyeglasses, your kitchen, your windows, your pool, your car and more. Safety glass is thicker, treated differently than regular glass and is designed to not shatter and harm a nearby person. It’s already begun to evolve and should continue evolving over the coming years as researchers continue to find new forms of safety glass.
