Glass and Plastics: Properties, Types and Commercial Forms
Glass is a material used for many years. It is the first inorganic substance, amorphous and isotropic (its molecular structure is totally disorganized). When cooled from its fluid state at high temperature, it solidifies without crystallizing and forms a rigid, viscous substance. It is transparent or translucent, hard, brittle and impermeable, with high chemical resistance, except against hydrofluoric acid.
Glass properties
Physical properties
- Density: common glass usually has a density of 2.5 kg/dm3; leaded glass has a density of 4.5 kg/dm3.
Thermal properties
- Thermal dilation: glass dilates very little, superior to wood.
- Thermal conductivity: the flow of heat through glass is very low, about 1 kcal/h·m·°C. For glass with a thickness of 1 m,