Glass is a substance that is formed by the fusion of various minerals. The ingredients are mixed together in a suitable proportion and the entire set up is heated at very high temperatures and then cooled, leading to the formation of a brittle, solid and transparent material called glass. Glass is widely used in construction units, manufacturing industries and scientific researches, not to mention its immense popularity and usage in the home and lifestyle sector. In the ancient times, man was a learner in the art of glass making, but in today's scenario, he has evolved as a master of glass making. Nowadays, there are innumerable types of colored glasses that are manufactured for a range of products.
Chemically speaking, glass, in its essence, is a liquid substance. However, at room temperature it's viscous, sticky and exists in a solid state. If the temperature is gradually increased glass assumes a liquid or semi-solid form. It is this characteristic of glass that helps it to be molded into different shapes. There are various types of glass like commercial glass or soda lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass and glass fibers.
How Is Glass Made From Sand And Limestone?
To understand how glass is made, we should know its general composition. Mostly, glass is a mixture of large amounts of silica, sodium bicarbonate or potash and limestone. Silica is a chemical compound with the formula SiO2 that is obtained from white sand or pulverized sandstone. What is the role of limestone in making glass? Well, limestone is nothing but solid calcium carbonate that is found in most rocks. Limestone helps in stabilizing the mixture and increases the strength of the glass. It also makes the glass more water-resistant. Silica, sand and limestone are mixed together and fused at very high temperatures. Other substances or minerals are added to change the properties of glass like the color, reflectivity and brilliance of the glass. These three are the basic ingredients and they are a must for the manufacturing of glass. Old pieces of glass or faulty pieces are recycled again while preparing new glass. It is not just that the mixing of the correct ingredients matters in making glass. Temperature regulators and right cooling is a must to give the desired form to the glass design.
Firstly, the soda, silica and limestone mixture is heated in big melting furnaces to appropriately 2500º F and often the duration of heating is extended for a day. The molten mixture or glass is then cooled to several hundred degrees, to a temperature at which it is suitable to work with. In this phase, the glass is an orange colored liquid. It is to be remembered that once the glass starts cooling, it can rapidly turn into a solid mass, so it is necessary that before it turns into a solid lump, it is given the desired form.
The liquid glass can be pressed, drawn and rolled in this stage. After giving it shape, the glass is then put in an oven to complete the process of annealing. Annealing is a special treatment administered to the glass that removes any sort of stress from the glass surface. The glass is cooled to suitable temperatures in the process of annealing that gives it strength and endurance.
Utility Of Glass
Once the basic form of glass is put into place, it can then be molded into various commodities, as per the viscosity and composition of the mold. While glass can be put to industrial use, it can also be used domestically, such as sunglasses or even in the form of safety glasses. Glass crockery is a favorite among households in terms of improving home decor and imparting a certain kind of style to the house.
Glass is used to decorate windows and doors with attractive paintings. These were the basic methods on how glass is made. With the advancement in the technology there is a lot of research going on to improve the quality of glass products and make them more durable and strong.
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