We are surrounded by lots of types of glasses everywhere. Here I want to give you some information about the glass and their different types.
Float Glass is a term for perfectly flat, clear glass. The production method, introduced in the UK by Sir Alastair, Pilkington in the late 1950's is still being used today and 90% of flat glass is manufactured using this process.
Body-tinted is a normal float-clear glass into whose melt colorants are added for tinting and solar-radiation absorption properties. This reduces heat penetration in buildings. Coloured glass is an important architectural element for the exterior appearance of shades. It is also used in interior decoration (doors, partitions, staircase panels, mirrors).
Types of Glass
Reflective Glass is an ordinary float glass with a metallic coating to reduce solar heat. This special coating also produces a mirror effect, preventing subject from seeing through the glass. It is mainly used in facades.
Low-E Glass is a low-emission clear glass with a microscopically thin coating of metal oxide. This allows the sun's heat and light to pass through into the building, but at the same time blocks heat from leaving the room, thereby reducing heat loss considerably.
Mirrors are commonly made of glass with a smooth, polished surface.
Insulating Glass is a multi-glass combination consisting of two or more glass panes. Its' most important function is to reduce thermal losses, transparency by reducing incidence of condensation on the warm air side, and the possibility of using larger glazed areas without increasing energy consumption.
Enamelled/Screen Printed is a decorative glass, is tempered or heat-strengthened, one face of which is covered, either partially or totally, with mineral pigments. It is also a solar ray controller, and is used for glazing and for cladding in facades and roofs. It can be assembled into laminated glass or gazed insulation.
Patterned is an imperfectly smooth structure with different patterns impressed on it. The depth, size and shape of the patterns determine the magnitude and direction of reflection. Patterned glass usually transmits only slightly less light than clear glass. It can be used for interior design and decorations, furniture, windows etc.
Photovoltaic is a special glass with integrated solar cells, to convert solar energy into electricity. This means that the power for an entire building can be produced within the roof.
Electro-chromic is an energy-saving component for building that can change colour on command. It works by passing low-voltage electrical charges across a very thin coating on the glass surface, activating an electro-chromic layer which changes colour from clear to dark.
Liquid crystal glazing is laminated glass with a minimum of two clear or coloured sheets of glass and a liquid crystal film, assembled between at least two plastic layers. In the off state, the liquid crystals are not aligned, which prevent vision, yet allows light to pass through the glass. When it is switched on, the liquid crystals align, turning the glass transparent and allowing vision through the glass. The change of transparency takes place within milliseconds. Liquid crystal glazing is designed for internal applications, including partitions, display cases, bank screens etc.
Self-cleaning is an ordinary float glass with a special photo-catalytic coating. It is made by chemically bonding and integrating a microscopically thin surface layer to the exterior surface of clear glass. This type of glass also has Hydrophilic-properties, meaning that rain flows down as a sheet, washing away the dirt instead of leaving it behind as with normal glass.
Tempered (Toughened) is two or more times stronger than annealed glass. When broken, it is shatters into many small fragments, which prevent major injuries.
Fire-resistant Glass can be classified in two categories, (1) heat transmitting glass that contains flames and inflammable gas for short period of time, but does not prevent the transmission of heat to the other side of glazing, e.g. wired glass, reinforced laminated glass. (2) Fire-insulating glass contains the flames and inflammable gas for longer period and prevents not only the transmission of flames and smoke but also of heat to the other side.
Types of Glass
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