Float glass
0.25-5 usd/kgFloat glass is soda lime glass produced as flat sheet, which can be further processed by bending, strengthening and laminating. It is named after the method of production: molten glass is floated on a pool of liquid tin to produce a perfectly flat and smooth sheet.
Its technical strength is far higher than its practical strength. Glass is very brittle and any imperfections (scratches or flaws, for example) act as a stress concentrator, causing premature failure when even a relatively small amount of tension is applied, such as by bending. So even though the theoretical strength is in the order of GPa, tiny imperfections reduce the strength down to around 14 MPa. The mechanical properties are enhanced with strengthening and tempering, which can raise tensile strength to 40 and 70 MPa, respectively.
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Chemically strengthened glass exhibits surface compression values of 400-700 MPa – serval times more than tempered glass. All alkali containing glasses are compatible, including borosilicate and aluminosilicate. In practice, the glass is placed into a molten salt bath (such as potassium nitrate, KNO3) at high temperature. Through a process of ion exchange, smaller ions (sodium, Na) in the substrate are replaced with large ions (potassium, K) from the salt bath. This stuffing creates high levels of compression in the surface. In the case of soda lime glass, the depth of layer (DOL) affected is up to around 25 microns. It becomes harder and more resistant to damage than plain annealed glass. Another advantage is there is little or no distortion to the light transmission. However, it is expensive, because it add several hours of processing.
Chemical strengthened soda lime glass is used to make parts for consumer electronics, such as phones, tablets and large displays, as well as windows for high-speed trains, armoured vehicles, hurricane and earthquake resistant buildings and solar panels. Aluminosilicate glass is preferred for applications that require higher strength or flexing, but soda lime glass is much more cost effective.