How to make glass?

Every day we come across glass products, but do we often think: what is glass made of, what is the technology for its manufacture? The birthplace of glass is ancient Egypt. The first products (and they are no less than 5 thousand years old!) Were quite unappealing in appearance and almost opaque. The manufacturing technology of modern glass is completely different. Consider how to make glass, which is part of it.

to contents ↑

What is glass made of?

The following materials are used in glass melting:

• Quartz sand (approximately 75%). The quality of the finished product depends on the sand.

Important! World-famous Venetian glassblowers use sand brought from the province of Istria to make Murano glass. At the heart of no less famous Bohemian glass is crushed quartz.

• Soda. This substance helps lower the temperature needed to melt quartz sand. Soda, added to the mixture in the correct proportions, reduces the melting point of quartz by almost half.
• Lime. It makes glass resistant to many aggressive chemicals. Lime was first used in the 17th century by Bohemian glass blowers, in the form of chalk or limestone.

Glass with specific properties incorporates oxides and various metals. The basic materials from which glass is made (composition, proportions) remain the same, and additives can be very different:

• Boron oxide. Reduces the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass. Finished products are shiny and transparent.
• Lead. This ingredient is used in crystal manufacturing. Crystal products acquire a characteristic melodic ringing.
• Manganese. Glass turns with a greenish tint. Metals such as chromium, cobalt and nickel also give a staining effect.
• Iron oxides make glass rich red.
• Nickel oxides give a purple and brown tint.
• Uranium oxides make glass yellowish
• Chrome gives the glass a green tint.

to contents ↑

Physical characteristics:

• Density. This indicator largely depends on the chemical composition of the glass and varies between 220-650 kg / m³. With increasing temperature, the density of the glass decreases. It becomes more fragile.
• Strength. Strength variability ranges from 50 to 210 kgf / mm². If the surface of the product is slightly damaged, then the strength decreases by 3-4 times.
• Fragility. This property is the main reason for the limited scope of glasses.
• Heat resistance - ability to withstand the effects of high temperatures. Conventional grades of glass can withstand up to 90 degrees. For heat-resistant varieties, this figure is several times higher.

to contents ↑

Varieties of glass

The field of use of this material is quite wide - dishes, kitchen utensils, light bulbs, decor elements, window glasses. This list goes on and on.

What types of glasses are used for the manufacture of different products?

• Crystal. It contains lead oxide. Glass is transparent, shiny, very beautiful. It is mainly used in the manufacture of dishes and souvenirs.
• Quartz. By production quartz sand is used. This type of glass is able to withstand significant temperature changes. Used in the manufacture of windows, insulators, laboratory glassware, optical instruments.
• Foam glass. This is a glass mass with a lot of voids inside.It has good sound and heat insulation properties. It is applied in construction.
• Glass wool. The structure of this material is a mass of glass fibers that resist tearing well. Glass wool is used in construction and chemical production. The material has a high degree of fire resistance, so it is used for the manufacture of special clothing for firefighters and metallurgists.

A separate group - special types of glasses:

• Fireproof - resistant to high temperatures, withstands open flames.
• Heat-resistant - has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, can withstand sharp temperature extremes.
• Bulletproof - resistant to powerful mechanical stress.

to contents ↑

How to make glass of sand?

The glass manufacturing process takes place in several stages.

• Preparation of materials: enrichment of quartz sand, removal of iron impurities from sand, crushing of limestone and dolomite.
• Mixing ingredients in certain proportions. The concentration of various components depends on the given physical and chemical characteristics of the finished product.
• Glass melting. The temperature range at which glass is melted ranges from 800-1400 degrees. Quartz sand melts and the glass becomes transparent and viscous.

Important! After a homogeneous glass mixture is obtained, glass products are formed, followed by rapid cooling, as well as physical and heat treatment.

The information “how to make glass” for children is especially interesting.

How to make window glass - the nuances of production:

• All components used for the production of glass are loaded into the furnace and heated until a homogeneous viscous mass is obtained.
• Then the mass is loaded into the homogenizer to achieve complete uniformity of composition.
• The mass is poured into a container with liquid tin, so that the surface is perfectly smooth.
• Next, the glass tape is fed to the conveyor to control the thickness and cut into standard pieces.
• Waste from pruning and defective products goes into re-melting.
• Finished glass products go through another stage of quality control and are sent to the warehouse.

Such information “what glass is made of” for children (and not only!) Is very interesting.

to contents ↑

Scope of glass

Despite a significant drawback (increased fragility), glass has a fairly wide area of ​​use - both in everyday life and in various industries:

• Engineering. Glass is added to non-stick paints.
• Paper industry - impregnate finished paper pulp.
• Construction. Glass is used as an additive in acid and heat resistant materials.
• Chemical industry - in the production of detergent compositions.
• Colored glass is used in construction and in the manufacture of decorative products.

to contents ↑

Stock footage

Glass has served people for many years, but the process of creating it remains attractive and a bit mysterious. It not only protects people's housing from cold and heat, but also provides an almost unlimited field for creativity.