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Groovy glass - Is glass acting weird?

"Glass is the most magical of  all the materials, it transmits light in a special way"
-Dale Chihuly



From the ancient times to now, glass materials have been used in many ways and it's still a piece of attraction in the construction of buildings. But what is the composition of glass and what property makes the glass transmit the light in different ways and in different colors? Let's peep into it!

History of glass:

The history of glass is originated from Mesopotamian civilizations, which is still a mystery since some claim that they would have adopted the glass making from Egypt and it was estimated to be in existence from 3600 BC.  The first glass factory was established in 1608 which was built in Jamestown, Virginia, United States. However, the art of glass making and it's production was then embraced by other countries.

What is a glass?

  • Glass is a mixture of silicates with sodium carbonate and lime.
  • It is an inorganic solid material, which is made from liquid sand, which is opaque, but the glass is transparent.
  • On continuous heating of sand up to 1700 degree Celsius, it turns into a glass.
  • It is considered as a solidified, super-cooled solution with infinite viscosity.

Process involved in glass making:

1. Collection of raw materials - The raw materials are selected depending on the requirement of the glass and it is decolorized.
2. Batch preparation - The raw materials are finely grounded by the machines and thus a uniform mixture is obtained.
3. Melting - The fine powder is now subjected to melting in a furnace until all the gas evolves.
4. Fabrication - The molten glass is now given a shape by molding by hand or by machines.
5. Annealing - The glass molded is then subjected to slow and homogeneous cooling to avoid state of strain.

Properties of glass:

We really don't know whether glass is solid or a liquid but it is called amorphous since the molecules are arranged in an irregular pattern.
  • It is transparent, translucent and a good insulator.
  • It refracts, reflects, absorbs and transmits light.
  • It is extremely brittle.
  • Glass can be welded by fusion.
  • It has no sharp melting point.
  • It is sustainable, recyclable and natural
  • Excellent electrical insulators at high temperature.
  • It behaves as a solid but after the elastic limit, it deforms and fractures.

Interaction of light and glass:

  • Colored glass does not change the color of light. 
  • It absorbs certain colors and warms up slightly.
  • The glass is doped with certain chemical compounds for each color.
  • The doping is done when the glass is liquid, before it is molded into a shape.
  • For example, to obtain red color glass, it is doped with cobalt oxide.

Cool Fact:

  • Glass is sometimes called as "the liquid that never sets"
  • If sand is hit by lightening, because of the extreme temperature, it will form a glass!

Reference:

  • https://www.britannica.com/technology/glass
  • https://thedesignbridge.in/blog/glass-properties-types-material-performances-and-uses-in-construction/

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