Chapter

Glass

Prepared by: Dipak M Rathva

Introduction:
Glass has been used as an engineering material since ancient times

Most versatile engineering material

Glass of any type and quality can be produced

Glass is a mixture of a number of metallic silicates

Most common alkali metal

Solidified super-cooled solution of various metallic silicates having

infinite viscosity
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Composition of glass:
It is not a single compound

It can be expressed as follows

aX2O, bYO, 6SiO2

Where a and b are numbers of molecules

X = an atom of an alkali metal such as Na, K, etc.
Y = an atom of a bivalent metal such as Ca, Pb, etc.

With this expression the chemical formulas for three groups of glass are as
follows

Soda-lime glass Na2O, CaO, 6SiO2

Potash-lime glass K2O, CaO, 6SiO2
Potash-lead glass K2O, PbO, 6SiO2
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Properties of glass:
Absorbs, refracts or transmits light

Take up high polish

No definite crystalline structure

No sharp melting point

Excellent electric insulator

Available in beautiful colours

Extremely brittle
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 Capable of being worked in many ways

Usually not affected by air or water

Not easily attacked by ordinary chemical reagents

Possible to alter some of its properties

Possible to make glass of diversified properties

Possible to weld pieces of glass by fusion

Transparent and translucent

Possible to make lighter and softer

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Classification of glass:
Divided in following groups

1) Soda-lime glass

2) Potash-lime glass

3) Potash-lead glass

4) Common glass

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1. Soda-lime glass:
Known as soda-glass or soft-glass
Mixture of sodium silicate and calcium silicate

Properties:
Available in clean and clear state
Cheap
Easily fusible at comparatively low temperatures
Possible to blow

Uses:
Manufacture of glass tubes and other laboratory apparatus, plate glass, window
glass etc.

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2. Potash-lime glass:
Known as bohemian-glass or hard-glass
Mixture of potassium silicate and calcium silicate

Properties:
Fuses at high temperatures
Not easily affected by water and other solvents
Does not melt so easily

Uses:
Manufacture of glass articles which have to withstand high temperatures such as
combustion etc.

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3. Potash-lead glass:
Known as flint-glass
Mixture of potassium silicate and lead silicate

Properties:
Fuses very easily
Easily attacked by aqueous solutions
Possesses bright luster and great refractive power
Specific gravity is about 3 to 3.30
Becomes black and opaque when comes into contact with reducing gases of the
furnace during heating

Uses:
Manufacture of artificial gems, electric bulbs, lenses, prisms etc.

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4. Common glass:
Known as bottle glass
Mixture of sodium silicate, calcium silicate and iron silicate
Prepared from cheap raw materials

Properties:
Fuses with difficulty
Easily attacked by acids
Colour-brown, green or yellow

Uses:
Manufacture of medicine bottles

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Treatment of glass:
The glass may be given any of the following treatment

1) Bending

2) Cutting

3) Opaque making

4) Silvering

5) Welding

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Special varieties of glass:
1. Bullet-proof glass
2. Fibre glass
3. Glass blocks
4. Heat-excluding glass
5. Obscured glass
6. Perforated glass
7. Safety glass
8. Shielding glass
9. Structural glass
10. Ultra-violet ray glass
11. Wired glass
12. Soluble glass
13. Foam glass Prepared by: Dipak M Rathva
 Bullet proof glass
Made up of several layers of plate glass and alternate layers of vinyle-
resin plastic
Outer layer of plate glass-thinner
Special care to be taken during heating and cooling
Thickness-15 mm to 75 mm
Prevent entry of bullet

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 Fibre glass
Comprised of minute glass fibre
Soft in touch and flexible in nature
doesnt absorb water
Fire proof, acid proof and vermin proof
Prepared either in the form of continuous strands like silk or in staple form like
wool
Making-molten glass spun at high speed
Special type and used for thermal insulation, sheets, fibre reinforced plastic

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 Glass block
Square size
Dimensions-150, 200, 300 mm with 100 mm thickness
Treatment on surface-to obscured the glass and to diffuse light
High insulating value
Set in cement mortar

Advantages:
Easy to clean so well maintained
Excellent in light transmission
Good insulation against cold, heat and noise

Not intended to take superimposed load

Capable of taking own load-up to max. 6 m height
Capable of taking lateral wind load for panel not exceeding 11 sq. m in area
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 Heat-excluding glass
Allows light to pass
Eliminates heat
Uses-for window of AC coaches in railway and window panel of
important building

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 Obscured glass
Where light is to be transmitted but vision is to be obscured
One surface-either ground or made opaque
Also prepared by rubbing of sand blast
Uses-public toilet, office doors, partitions etc.

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 Perforated glass
Perforation are made in sheet glass with the help of rollers
Perforation-either during manufacturing or after manufacturing
Used in panels in ventilators

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 Safety glass
Formed by placing celluloid between two sheets of the plate glass
Made a single unit by applying glue
During breakage of glass flying of splinters is prevented
Also known as shatter-proof glass

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 Shielding glass
Special variety
Contains heavy elements-PbO (lead oxide)
Used for window through high radiation is
observed
Quality of shielding glass-type of radiation

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 Structural glass
In the form of glass-crete squares or lenses
Are set in cement concrete and reinforced with steel frames
Popularly known as glass bricks
Used as light structural members
Also as partition

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 Ultra-violet ray glass
Transmits effectively ultra-violet rays
Made from row mixture with minimum admixtures of iron,
titanium and chrome
Blocks 98 % of ultra-violet radiation
Used in windows of schools, hospitals etc.

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 Wired glass
Steel wire mesh is placed in glass during rolling
Mesh may have hexagonal or square units
If glass breaks the pieces of glass are held by wire in position
Fire resistant
Used for roofs, skylights, fire-resisting doors and windows

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 Soluble glass
Prepared by melting quartz sand, grinding and thoroughly mixing it with
soda ash, sodium sulphate or potassium carbonate
Mixing in glass tank at temp. 1300o to 1400o and time is 7 to 10 hours
Under normal condition it is soluble in water
Transported in container in the form of liquid
Used for preparing acid-resistant cement

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 Foam glass
Prepared in the form of rectangular blocks
Finely ground glass and carbon are thoroughly mixed and the mixture is then
melted in a furnace
Resulting glass material contains more than 350 million inert air cells per m3
Floats on water and cut like wood
Fire-proof, rigid and an excellent heat insulator
Used as a substitute for cork for use in air-conditioning and refrigeration
industries

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