Safety glass
Description
A glass that has been altered to make it stronger, or minimize its breakage, or to minimize any harm of broken glass could cause. Common designs for safety glass include toughening (Tempered glass) or the addition of plastic (Laminated glass) or wire mesh (Wire glass) between two outer layers of glass. These techniques can be used individually or together. In most countries, safety glass is required in buildings (glass doors/windows, skylights, shower doors, refrigerator trays, etc.) and automobile windows.
Laminated glass was invented in 1903 by Édouard Bénédictus in France after he accidentally knocked over a glass test tube containing a dried film of Cellulose nitrate film and noticed that the glass fragments remain attached to the plastic rather than scattering. Safety glass is currently made by laminating a sheet of transparent Polyvinyl butyral film between two thin plates of glass. Laminated glass was used during World War I to strengthened the windshields of military vehicles. After the war, safety glass was adapted for use in automobile windshields. Bulletproof glass is usually built up using several layers of glass and plastic components. The term safety glass has also been used for Tempered glass and Wire glass.
For additional information, see:
- Exhibit Guidelines Technical Notes: Selecting Exhibit Glazing
- Exhibit Guidelines Technical Notes: Security Glazing for Exhibit
Synonyms and Related Terms
vidrio de seguridad (Esp.); verre feuilleté (Fr.); vree de sécurité (Fr.); verre de sureté (Fr.); vetro di sicurezza (It.); vidro de segurança (Port.); Laminated glass; shatterproof glass; nonshatterable glass; bulletproof glass; reinforced glass
Applications
- Architecture, glazing, automobile windows
- UV protection, skylights
- Weather resistance (hurricanes, wind, etc.) in store fronts and windows.
- Sound reduction
Resources and Citations
- Wikipedia: Safety glass Accessed Nov. 2024